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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25789633">Broken Clocks</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Danypooh80/pseuds/Danypooh80'>Danypooh80</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>It was never enough [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4, Final Fantasy XV</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Best Friends, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, High School, Slow Burn, Snark, Time Travel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 08:54:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>54,653</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25789633</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Danypooh80/pseuds/Danypooh80</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been years since the fall of the Institute, but attitudes take a lot longer to change. </p><p>As a result, John Hancock's daughter, Jenny, is not doing well in the Commonwealth. Seen as an outcast and a freak, she's drawn more and more inward, leaving art as her only outlet. When she turns 15, her aunt Sam decides that it's time for her to get a fresh start.</p><p>Meanwhile, in Insomnia, Ignis Scientia still remembers when he was nine years old and a tiny redhead popped into the palace to play with him and Noctis, declaring that she'd marry him someday. Too busy with his duties to the future king, this day falls out of his head until a sullen girl meets up with Noctis at school, reminding him of what he'd been content to forget. </p><p>And the more he gets to know her, the more Ignis starts to wonder if she remembers what she said to him that day.</p><p>--Complete- part two in the series is now underway!--</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ignis Scientia/Original Female Character(s), John Hancock/Female Sole Survivor, Lunafreya Nox Fleuret/Noctis Lucis Caelum</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>It was never enough [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1870864</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Would you like to play?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">


        <li>
            Inspired by

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/20680817">Nothing ever goes right the first time</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Danypooh80/pseuds/Danypooh80">Danypooh80</a>.
        </li>

    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi! Welcome to the new class of the Commonwealth- have a seat, glad to meet you! </p><p>This series is a spinoff of the Misfits of the Commonwealth series. While it's using the setting of both games, you don't have to be a Fallout 4 or an FFXV fan to read this story- it's accessible to both! However, reading <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/20680817"> Nothing Ever Goes Right the First Time</a> will give you some backstory on Jenny and her family. Aunt Sam has her own series, <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/series/1615699%22">The Team Mage Chronicles</a>, but again, it's not necessary to read this work- I just like connected universes.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s2">  </span> </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>“So, Shadow, what do you think we should do today,” Sam asked as she smiled at the little redhead, chuckling to herself as she watched her niece staring sadly out the window. “Your mom and dad won’t be back for a few more hours- feel like getting outside for a while?” </p><p>Jenny turned to Sam with a frown on her tiny face. “Auntie Sam, that’s not funny- you <em>know</em> there’s a rad storm going on right now.” She let out a huff, crossing her arms and flouncing on the couch. “I hate it here,” she grumbled. “Now that Shaun’s gone, I never get to do anything fun.”</p><p>“He’s just over in Diamond City,” Sam said, trying to hold back laughter. “It’s not that far.”</p><p>“Might as well be,” Jenny grumbled, swinging her legs and kicking the couch. “Today sucks,” she muttered under her breath, letting her unruly red curls fall into her face. “When I grow up, I’m not staying here- I want to go somewhere where the rain won’t melt your face off.” </p><p>Chuckling to herself at the girl’s macabre description of the weather, she pretended to think for a moment. “Well,” she said slowly, “I do still have some sketches I need to do today… want to come with me?” </p><p>At that, the tiny green eyes that were a carbon-copy of her own brightened considerably. “Are we going to see Uncle Cullen?” </p><p>Sam shook her head. “No, I have somewhere else I have to go today… but since it’s not raining over there, you could play outside if you wanted to.” </p><p>Jenny eyed her suspiciously. “Could I take my ball with me?” </p><p>Sam shrugged, causing her dark hair to lightly brush her shoulders. “I don’t see why not.” In truth, there were a bunch of reasons why not, chief in the list that her brother-in-law was always a bit leery about his kids hopping from reality to reality. Ordinarily, Sam would have gotten his permission first, but since he and her sister were gone for the day, she figured it would be better to ask for forgiveness than deal with the surly child building up to a full-fledged tantrum in front of her. “Go on, go upstairs and get your jacket,” Sam prodded, gesturing toward the stairs. "I’ll be waiting for you down here.” </p><p>Almost as if she’d flipped a switch, Jenny’s whole demeanor shifted. Her face brightened and she let out a squeal of delight, making the smattering of freckles stand out across her face as she flew up the stairs, the little girl's tiny feet sounding like a herd of elephants against the old wooden steps. Sam just shook her head as she gathered her hair up into a ponytail, scanning the room and making sure she had all of her art supplies. She’d tried to entertain the little girl with art today, but Jenny had lost interest after what felt like the millionth painting. <em>Glad to know I’m in there somewhere,</em> Sam mused, picking up a picture the girl had drawn. For a seven-year-old, the drawing was quite good- she’d known for some time that the kid had a measure of artistic talent and had done her best to nurture it, but the ruins of Boston weren’t exactly conducive to the pursuit of artistic studies.</p><p>Before she could dwell on the matter any further, Jenny thundered down the stairs, her soccer ball in hand, and her bright blue jacket so hastily buttoned that the lapel was jutting out against her chin. “I’m ready!”</p><p>Sam shook her head, pointing to the jacket. “Not until you fix that, you aren’t. You’re not going with me looking like you got dressed in the dark, Shadow,” she replied as she helped the girl button the coat properly. "What if you find some other kids to play with?”</p><p>Jenny just looked at her like she’d lost her mind. “Then I take my jacket off so we can play, duh!” She put her hands on her hips, causing Sam to bite her lip as she tried to keep a straight face. “Why should how I button my jacket change how awesome I am with my ball?”</p><p>“I can’t argue with that,” Sam agreed, taking her niece’s smaller hand in her own. “Come on,” she said, shifting the worlds behind their front door so they could start their travels. “It’s time to go, kiddo.” </p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s2">  </span> </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>Ignis Scientia was walking back to the castle grounds with Noctis, dreading the tongue-lashing that was sure to accompany their latest escape. As Noctis chattered away about the fish they’d caught, Ignis just smiled good-naturedly- he’d never let the Prince get into trouble if he could help it, but he’d be lying if he said he was looking forward to the governess boxing his ears for leaving the palace grounds without supervision. Sure enough, the red-faced woman was waiting for them-<em> the only thing she’s missing is smoke coming from her ears</em>, Ignis thought to himself. Swallowing and preparing for the worst, the stoic little nine-year-old pushed his glasses up on his nose and took a deep breath. “Let me handle this,” he whispered to Noctis, taking the smaller boy’s hand as he clenched the other in a determined fist. “Whatever happens, follow my lead, ok?”</p><p>Noctis nodded, and before Ignis could say a word, the woman was upon them, screeching so loud it made Ignis wince. “Where on Eos have you two been! You both know-“</p><p>Just as he was about to respond, he felt a prick in his palm- Ignis opened his hand, exposing a beautiful emerald and gold ring that glinted in the rays of the sun. Flummoxed at the appearance of the expensive-looking piece of jewelry, his eyes opened wide as a beautiful woman raced over to them, wrapping Ignis in a tight hug. “Play along,” she whispered into his ear before standing up, plucking the ring out of his hand. “Thank you so much,” she said breathlessly as she stood up, smoothing her shirt and placing the ring on her finger. “You two are lifesavers!” </p><p>The strange woman gave the governess a bright smile, her sparkling green eyes full of joy. “These two boys of yours are amazing- I lost my wedding ring and they offered to help me find it so I didn’t have to miss my meeting with King Regis today.” She turned to the angry older woman, placing a tanned and slender hand on her shoulder and causing Ignis to almost let out a gasp as the governess went completely pale. “They’re not in any trouble, are they?” </p><p>As if she was in a stupor, the governess shook her head. “Oh, my mistake, you did tell me that.” Then she turned to the boys with a bright smile that scared Ignis more than her angry face. “Of course they aren’t in trouble- I’ve raised these two up proper and it shows.” </p><p>The tanned-woman smiled, then patted the governess on the back. “And I totally agree.” She gave Ignis a wink, causing Noctis to squeeze his hand. “So, do you mind sending word to the king that Samantha Rutherford is here to see him?” </p><p>“Not at all,” the governess replied. “You two behave,” she hissed as she headed off toward the palace, leaving a stunned Ignis and Noctis in the company of the strange woman. </p><p>“Uh-“ Ignis said, forgetting himself for a moment as he tried to recover from the strange events that had just taken place. “Forgive me for being rude, but how-“</p><p>The woman just waved him off. “Don’t worry about it,” she said with a smile. “I just needed her to not be so mean to you two for a little while- I have a meeting with the king, and I really needed someone responsible to play with my niece this afternoon.” She put a finger to her painted purple lips, staring at Ignis out the corner of her eye. “You two wouldn’t know where I could find two nice boys like that, would you?”</p><p>Feeling like he owed the woman a favor, Ignis thought about it for a moment- playing with a kid in the safety of the palace grounds seemed like a fair trade. “I’d be happy to look after her until you return.” </p><p>“I knew I could count on you,” she said with a smile, then leaned down so she was eye-level with the prince. “My niece thinks she’s really good at soccer- do you think you could show her a thing or two?”</p><p>Noctis nodded, then smiled. “I’m really good,” he whispered. Then he looked around with wide blue eyes and leaned close to the strange woman. “Are you an Astral?” </p><p>Samantha gave a non-committal hand gesture as she smiled at the prince, and this time Ignis finally did let out a gasp of surprise. “Something like that,” she admitted, picking up a leaf from the ground and blowing it at him, only to make the leaf stop in mid-air inches from his nose. “I can control time.” Her green eyes darted around the courtyard, then smiled as she plucked the leaf out of the air. “But I can’t let everyone know that- kinda bad for business if it gets around.”</p><p>Noctis’s eyes went wide and he nodded emphatically, clutching Ignis’s hand even tighter. “We’ll keep it a secret.”</p><p>Just then, a tiny redheaded girl in a blue jacket came bounding up to them, holding a soccer ball in her hand. “Auntie Sam-“ she said, then stopped as she saw Ignis and Noctis. “You found kids,” she said in an accusatory tone. “Were you even gonna tell me?” </p><p>“You beat me to it, weirdo,” Samantha said with a smile. “Jenny, this is Ignis,” she said as she pointed to him, “and this is Noctis. Do you mind playing with them for a while while I go talk to someone?” </p><p>The girl named Jenny gave them a hard look, almost as if she was debating if they were worth her time. “Depends,” she said carefully. “Can you guys play soccer?” </p><p>Ignis was just about to ask Samantha how she knew their names when the dark-haired boy let go of his hand and raced over to the girl, snatching the ball from her hands and dropping it to the ground, shuffling it between his feet. “Yep,” he said proudly as he started to race off. “Betcha can’t beat me, Jenny.” </p><p>Jenny’s eyes lit up. “You’re on!” She squealed with delight and raced after him, leaving Ignis alone with Samantha. Swallowing, he turned to the strange woman, who was smirking at him. “How did you-“</p><p>“Know your names?” She tapped her head and winked. “Trade secret…you might find out when you’re older.” She stared out at Noctis and Jenny, who were chasing the soccer ball and screeching with happiness. “Go have fun,” she said gently. “You don’t get the chance to do that often, Ignis.” </p><p>He sighed, then adjusted his glasses. “Some things are more important than having fun,” Ignis said seriously, adjusting his shirt and fixing his dirty blond hair. “My duties to the prince come first."</p><p>“I can respect that,” Samantha said seriously. “I’m sure you’re going to do an amazing job, Ignis- just don’t forget that what you want is important too, ok?”</p><p>He started to say something else, but she just smiled at him. “Promise me,” she said softly, kneeling in the grass. “When the time comes, make sure you think about what you want, too.”</p><p>Ignis felt his mouth go dry, but before he could respond, Noctis’s voice rang out from the courtyard. “Ignis! We need a referee- she’s a sneak!”</p><p>Turning back to where Samantha was, his eyes went wide when he noticed she was nowhere around. “Coming,” Ignis croaked, running over to the prince and the girl, trying to force his brain to clear. Already the strange woman's words were starting to fade away, but the bespectacled little boy couldn’t help but feel like he was forgetting something very important as he worked to establish rules for his two tiny charges. Soon, he was lost in the fun as well, chasing whoever had the ball up and down the field, declaring points as they crossed the lines he’d made from sticks around the grounds. </p><p>“You’re not a bad player, Lady Rutherford,” Ignis remarked as Jenny scored a goal and carried the ball back to the center of the field. “It seems you play often.”</p><p>Jenny frowned. “That’s my aunt, not my mom, Iggy. My name’s Jenny Hancock,” she said, offering him a hand. “Pleased to meet ‘cha.” </p><p>He matched her frown of one of his own. “Iggy?” </p><p>She shrugged as she dropped the ball. “Your names are weird and hard to say. I like Iggy and Noct better.” She turned to him for a moment, then squinted as she took off her jacket, tossing it on the field. “And I like your glasses- they make you look smart.” </p><p>Ignis blushed. “I’d hope so, since I am smart.”</p><p>“That’s good,” she said seriously, shuffling the ball between her feet. “Cause I’d hate it if the boy I’m gonna marry was stupid.” </p><p>By the time he’d recovered from her casual statement, the redhead was already halfway down the field, laughing with Noctis as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened at all.</p><p>Soon, Ignis had forgotten what Jenny had said- soccer had given way to hide and seek, then tag, and slowly devolved to them all randomly chasing each other. After Noct barreled into Jenny and knocked her over, making her shriek with laughter, Ignis decided they should stop before someone got hurt. Not wanting to be seen as the bad guy, he gently suggested that they take a break, letting out a sigh of relief when they reluctantly agreed, laying on the grass and staring into the bright blue sky. “This was so much better than sitting at home,” Jenny said, brushing a sticky red curl off her forehead and poking Noctis in the side. “Even if you do cheat at soccer, Noct.”</p><p>Noctis stuck his tongue out at Jenny, and Ignis laughed as she crossed her eyes at him. “Are you coming back?” Noctis asked. “If you do, maybe we can all go fishin’ or something.”</p><p>Jenny looked sad for a moment. “I’d have to ask my aunt- I don’t live here,” she whispered, biting her lip. “I wish I did, though.” She stared up at the sky, then closed her eyes. “When I come back, we’re still gonna be friends, right?"</p><p>Noct propped himself up on his elbow, staring at the girl with excitement. “‘Course! Why wouldn’t we be?” He gave the girl a teasing grin. “What, you gonna come back all prim and proper and start acting all weird?” </p><p>Jenny scrunched up her face with disgust. “No way!” Her eyes lowered for a second, and she started twiddling her fingers. “I got in trouble for punching a mean old girl in the face when she said my daddy was ugly.” Noct gave her an approving look, and Ignis felt the corners of his mouth twitch up into a smile. "I don’t like mean people,” she said with a shrug, "so why would I start acting like one?” </p><p>“Fair point,” Ignis agreed. “Then it’s decided- when you return, we shall all be friends.”</p><p>She grinned and shook Noctis’s hand just as the strange lady began calling for her. “Guess it’s time for me to go,” she said sadly, standing up and reaching for her jacket. “I had fun, guys.” </p><p>“Me too,” Noctis replied, his eyes opening wide as Jenny hugged him. “I’ll see you next time, ok?”</p><p>She nodded and paused, biting her lip as she stared at Ignis, making him feel like she was analyzing all the pieces that made him up. “Yes?” Ignis asked, pushing his glasses up on his nose as he got to his feet. “Did you need something?”</p><p>She glanced around for a moment, then raced over and placed a quick kiss on his cheek. “Stay smart for me, Iggy.” </p><p>And once again the tiny redhead raced off, vanishing without a trace before Ignis could think of a single word to say.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. It's different here</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jenny has a pretty lonely first day of school... but lunchtime proves interesting</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s2">  </span> </em>
</p>
<hr/><p><em>You asked for this</em>, I told myself, taking a deep breath as I entered the strange classroom. <em>You had Aunt Sam going toe to toe with Dad to even let you come in the first place- the least you can do is step inside the classroom. </em></p>
<p></p><div>
  <p>As I sat with my hand on the door, desperate to calm myself down, all I could hear in my head was my dad screaming at my aunt. “She’s only fifteen,” he’d roared, thrusting a scarred finger in her face. “You seriously think I want my kid traveling to some other strange goddamn world by her damn self? Have you lost your fucking mind, Squeak?” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>To her credit, Aunt Sam just stared at Dad, not looking bothered in the least as he towered over her. “Have you seen her work, John?” She pulled out a notebook that I knew I had hidden away, but then again, hiding anything from my mother or my aunts was a lost cause- those women could find anything. “She’s really good- like she could be better than me, guys,” she said as she thumbed through the pages. “Do you honestly think she’s gonna get that kind of training out here?” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“What the fuck does she need it for?” Dad yelled, throwing his hands up in the air. “My daughter does not need to leave- she’s fine right here!” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>At that, Aunt Sam looked over at me, gesturing for me to come and finally take a side- I should have known I’d have to say something sooner or later. “Dad,” I said tentatively, looking down at the floor. “I… I wanna go to the school Aunt Sam told me about,” I whispered. “I could make stuff there, Dad,” I said excitedly, showing him the brochure my aunt had given me. “And I can swim, and cook, and-“</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Shadow,” Dad interrupted, his black eyes staring at me for a moment before he let out a deep sigh, taking off his hat and running his hand over his scarred head, “are you sure you want to leave the Commonwealth? To leave us?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“She doesn’t have to leave,” Sam interjected. “I can give her passage back every evening- Jenny can come home just like a normal kid would.” She turned to look at me, a soft smile on her face as she gave me a silver cuff, glistening with purple crystals nestled in the metal. “She’s got enough magic to open the doorways- with a little help, she can come and go between these two realms just fine.” Dad let out a huff, but Sam just stared at him. “It won’t be any more painful than a normal high school experience, John,” Sam said quietly. “I promise.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Squeak,” Dad said slowly, his eyes darting between Mom and me before settling on my aunt, “I’mma hold you to that… and I don’t care how powerful you are- if you let my kid get hurt, that’s your ass, understand?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Sounds fair to me,” Sam said, smiling at me. “Come on,” she said kindly, taking me by the hand. “We gotta do some school shopping, Shadow.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Closing my eyes and resting my hand on the knob, I worked to keep myself upright. Sure, I looked like any other teen in Insomnia, but I definitely didn’t feel like them- my skirt felt too stiff, my shirt felt like I was trying too hard, and my jacket seemed too warm. <em>Maybe Dad was right</em>, I thought sadly, feeling my cheeks burning from the stares of all the people as I made my way to my seat. <em>I don’t belong here and they know it. </em></p>
</div><div>
  <p>Trying to keep from crying, I reached into my backpack and fingered the tiny purple bird charm dangling from the phone my aunt had gotten for me. <em>You always wanted a cell phone</em>, she had said lightly, handing me the device. <em>Now you have your very own</em>. </p>
</div><div>
  <p><em>Won’t do me much good</em>, I muttered to myself as I took out my books, desperate to lose myself in my lessons.<em> It’s not like anyone is gonna talk to me. Different world, same shit</em>, I thought bitterly. <em>Even when I’m a world away, I’m still the odd one out</em>.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Thankfully, I was able to lose myself in the work, grateful for the distraction. In class, I could listen and no one could talk to me- it was a lot different from the school in Diamond City, where the teachers were all so busy trying to wrangle everyone that the kids were free to do whatever they wanted… which usually meant teasing me.<em> Oh, there goes the freak</em>, they’d say. <em>How did she end up normal with a ghoul for a dad? </em></p>
</div><div>
  <p>After I’d gotten sent to the administrators for fighting for the fifth time, even Mom and Grandpa Nick's name couldn’t keep me around anymore- mom finally gave up and started homeschooling me. Granted, she was brilliant, so I wasn’t behind at all, but I was lonely. I wanted friends- I wanted to do things like I saw the kids in her old vids do. I’d hoped that high school would be fun- I wanted to have a best friend to giggle about the cute boy in my math class, to sit with a bunch of people and laugh at lunch, or to go out and have fun after school at the arcade… but doing that meant making friends, which I was positively shitty at.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>So, dejected, hungry, and alone, I grabbed my lunch and plopped into a corner, sketching in my notebook as I absentmindedly ate my sandwich, completely oblivious to everything going on until I heard the scrape of chairs next to me. I groaned and closed my eyes, just knowing I was about to get teased mercilessly. “Can I help you with something?” I asked, trying to keep my voice light- I knew from experience that my voice could easily give someone the impression I was ready to fight. However, it usually just happened that I <em>was</em> always willing to throw a haymaker or two, which never really boded well for the other person. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“I sit behind you in math,” the voice in front of me said, “and I noticed you sketching- you’re pretty good. I can’t draw at all,” he said cheerily, shoving a red camera at me. “But I love taking pictures- wanna see?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>I looked up to see a boy around my age with a mop of blond hair, with an excited look in his blue eyes as he handed me the camera. Curious, I took a look through the pictures, gasping at the sights- everything in there was so colorful and vibrant, unlike the brown and acrid colors of everything back home. “These are super cool,” I replied honestly, handing him his camera back. “I don’t take many pictures,” I admitted, handing him my sketchbook. “But I do draw a lot… if you want to see.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>The boy gave me a bright smile as he took the book. “Course I do!” He thumbed through the book, his eyes widening at some of my fashion sketches. “These are crazy detailed,” he said, nodding his head and bumping his friend, who had dozed off leaning against the window. “Noct, wake up!”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>The dark-haired boy opened a sleepy-looking blue eye and sighed. “You look familiar,” he said dryly, giving me a once-over. “Have I met you before?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>I shook my head. “First day here.” Taking a deep breath and hoping this wasn’t going to go tits up, I extended my hand to the blonde. “Jenny Hancock,” I said tentatively. “Pleased to meet you.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>The blond-haired boy beamed back. “Prompto Argentum,” he said, taking my hand and shaking it heartily. “Hope you’re having a good time here.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>I shook my head. “Nope, I'm having a pretty shitty time. You guys are the first people I’ve talked to all day. Well, you are,” I said to Prompto. “Your friend looks like I’m keeping him from his afternoon nap.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“You are,” he said dryly, opening his bag and pulling out a pastry of some sort, then offering one to Prompto and extending one in my direction. “Want one?” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>I eyed the treat warily. “I’m not in the habit of taking food from strangers,” I said, trying to stop the drool that was desperately trying to escape from the corners of my mouth as I smelled the treat in front of me. “You could at least introduce yourself first.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>At that, he opened his eyes a bit wider. “You… don’t know who I am?” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“No,” I said carefully, giving him a look. “Should I?” Finally tossing caution to the wind as Prompto shoved half of his pastry into his mouth, I reached out and took mine, letting out a soft groan of happiness as the sugar and butter hit my tongue. “Oh my god, this is <em>amazing</em>,” I replied, taking a big bite and getting cream all over my upper lip. “Who are you, some sort of pastry god?” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>The dark-haired boy just grinned, taking a nibble of his as he flipped through a comic. “You <em>really</em> don’t know, do you?” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>I snorted, polishing off the rest of the pastry and forcing myself to go back to my dry sandwich- after that pastry, everything else tasted like sawdust to me. “You sound full of yourself, dude. I mean, you’re cute and all, but that ego of yours is a non-starter… especially when I don’t even know who you are.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“But you just ate my pastry,” he teased, looking a lot more awake now. “Shouldn’t you have figured out who I was before you ate my food?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Desperate times,” I replied, taking a bite of my sandwich and scowling at the offending item. "Ugh- this tastes like crap.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>The dark-haired boy laughed, sliding the rest of his pastry to me. “Eat up- you look like you’re having a rough day.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“You don’t know the half of it,” I grumbled, gratefully taking the treat and closing my eyes as I wolfed it down. Prompto was staring at me like I had three heads, but I just shrugged. “What?” I asked, finally realizing that I should wipe my face and stop looking like I was raised by Yao Guai. “I wiped off the cream, what gives?” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Prompto looked at his friend, then turned back to me, an expression of shock on his face. “You really don’t know-“</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“How to eat like a human,” the other boy interrupted, smiling at me. Then he looked at my phone, running his fingers over the little purple bird charm dangling from it. “Hey, you’ve got the new purple Chocobo charm- how’d you get it? Those aren’t supposed to be out yet!” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>I shrugged again, handing him my phone so he could inspect it further. “My aunt got it for me,” I answered honestly. "I didn’t know it was special- she just knows I just like purple.” I glanced over at the book he was reading- the comic looked different from anything I’d ever read before. “You like comics, huh?” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>The boy nodded and began typing in my phone, then handed it over to Prompto. “You should seriously think about adding a passcode to your phone- anyone could steal it and use it if you don’t.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“What’s the point?” I asked with a smile. “My mom can hack anything that has a screen, so there’s no point in locking it. And if you tried to run off and take it, I’d just chase after you and punch you in the face.” Prompto let out a squeak, but I just smiled. “It’d be a shame, too, considering I thought you were kinda nice- I try to only make a habit of punching mean people.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Well, your phone is right here,” he said lightly, gesturing to Prompto as he fingered the charm lightly. “No harm was done, no punching necessary.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Smiling as Prompto dropped my phone back into my hand, I reached around the antennae and unwound the tiny charm, dropping it in the dark-haired boy’s hand. “For giving me food and making me feel human,” I said proudly, then turned to Prompto. “I would’ve rather given it to you since you were nice and introduced yourself, but he gave me food… and food always wins, even if I can't be sure who gave it to me.” I paused, then brightened. “I know,” I said with a smile. “I’ll draw you one, and you can use it for your wallpaper- how’s that?” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“You don’t have to do that for us,” Prompto said, his cheeks turning bright red. “We just wanted to say hi, and I’m glad we did- this has been pretty cool.” He looked over at his friend, then back to me. “Maybe you could come and hang out with us after school sometime? There’s an arcade down in the Citadel that has some pretty awesome games- might be fun if you want to check it out.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>I started to say sure, then looked down, dejected. “I want to,” I said slowly, “but I gotta go straight home after school. My dad is already freaking out about me being here in the first place- if I don’t come back on time, the man is going to have kittens.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Prompto looked dejected, but the other boy just shrugged. “I get it.” He turned to Prompto as he stood up, then looked back at me. “Cool talking with you, Jenny- maybe we’ll see you around.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Considering I’ve spent the entire lunch with you and I still don’t know who you are, I’d say that depends on you, doesn’t it?” I gestured to the Chocobo charm dangling from his finger. “Thanks for the lunch- you saved me from dry mystery meat.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>He gave me a soft salute as the bell rang, getting up from the table and heading out the cafeteria and leaving me and Prompto to gather our stuff. “See you in class tomorrow?” I asked. “Maybe you’ll be the first person to talk to me and not throw a spitball at my head.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Why would someone do something like that?” Prompto asked as we left the table, ignoring the throngs of people around us. “You seem pretty cool.” He bent down, looking into my face. “Is there something wrong with you that we can’t see?” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>I let out a loud snort, clapping my hand to my mouth to stifle the offensive noise. “Oh man, you have <em>no</em> idea how loaded that statement is,” I replied. “Don’t know if I should be telling you all the gory details right away, though- let me enjoy at least the thought of having friends for a little longer, ok?” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Prompto let out a smile at that, clapping me on the back. “I don’t think you have to worry about that,” he replied. “Text us afterschool, and talk to your dad about going to the arcade, yeah?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>I frowned, looking at the blond boy who was making me feel like high school might not be completely shitty after all. “How am I supposed to text you- I don’t have your number, remember?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Now he let out a real laugh, pointing at my phone. “Noct is right- you really should lock your phone. If you aren’t careful, anybody could just go in and add their phone numbers to it.” My jaw dropped as I looked down at my phone, then back up to Prompto, watching as he started to head to class. “See you around, Jenny.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>No sooner than he’d left, the phone beeped, signifying I had a message. Fumbling with the thing and feeling grateful that it wasn’t too different from Mom’s, I found the proper screen. Sure enough, there was a message thread with two names at the top- Prompto and Noct. Smiling as I made my way back to class, I opened the message and let out a loud laugh, earning a few dirty looks from the students passing by. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>There was only one bubble, but it was from Noct, and it immediately made me smile. “See you around, Sweets,” it said. “Now that you know my name, we’re not strangers anymore.” </p>
</div>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'd like to think Noct would be intrigued by a person that has no idea who he is. Considering all the pressures on his shoulders, being able to be whoever he wants to be for a while might prove to be a bit freeing to him.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. It wasn't as bad as I thought</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jenny returns home after her first day of school, but Prompto and Noct haven't forgotten about her</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s2">  </span> </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>When I got through the door, everyone was waiting for me. </p><p>Oh, they all tried to pretend like they weren’t waiting on me, but I knew exactly what was going on- Fahr and Shaun were sitting on the couch, bickering over a gun mod, Uncle Cullen was sitting at the table playing chess with Dad, while Grandpa Nick and Mom were going over some files on the dining room table. Aunt Sam was standing against the door, waiting for me with a knowing look. “You did good,” she whispered, giving me a one-armed hug. “No problems, right?” </p><p>I shook my head. “Nope. In and out, no issues.” Then I surveyed all the people in my house, who had stopped pretending to be busy and were now staring at us. “Why is everyone here?”</p><p>“Because it isn’t everyday my little sister steps out on her own,” said Shaun, walking over and wrapping me in a hug. “I’m proud of you,” he said quietly, pulling back and smiling at me. “I was wondering if you’d ever step into your own light, Shadow.” </p><p>I looked up at the curly-haired brunette towering over me, then wrapped my arms around his waist. “I missed you, Shaun,” I whispered. “It’s so lonely here without you.” </p><p>“Then come down and stay with me and Grandpa Nick every once in a while,” he said, ruffling my hair. “You know we’d love to have you, and Piper and Mac are dying to see you again- it’s been too long, sis.” Dad cleared his throat, and Shaun winked at me. “I’ll be upstairs before I leave,” he said as he clapped me on my shoulder, smiling at Dad as he made his way back to the couch. “She’s all yours, Dad.” </p><p>“How’s it going, Shadow?” Dad asked, looking back and forth between me and Aunt Sam. “How was… school?” </p><p>I rolled my eyes- he was being dramatic. “Dad, it was <em>fine</em>,” I said, walking over and hugging him, letting the smell of berries, gun oil, and nicotine wash over me. “A bit scary at first, but eventually it was cool.” </p><p>“Meet any friends?” Mom asked, looking up from her papers. I could tell she was trying to be casual, but she knew how hard school was for me back here, so her nerves made sense. “No one bothered you, did they?” </p><p>“Nope,” I replied, going over and brushing her blond and brown curls away as I planted a kiss on her cheek. “Met two nice guys at lunch-“</p><p>Immediately, Aunt Sam and Mom let out a groan, and it felt as if the testosterone in the room surged by a thousand percent. Panicked, I looked at my aunt, who just shook her head and stepped back, her hands stretched out in front of her as if to say ‘<em>you’re on your own, kid.</em>’ Mom stayed silent, no doubt watching everyone- hoping for at least a little bit of backup, I squeezed her shoulder and breathed a sigh of relief as she put her hand on mine. “It’s not like that,” I said quickly. “One guy was in my math class, and the other one was his friend- they shared their lunch with me.” </p><p>“Jenny,” Uncle Cullen said tersely, disapproval clear in his amber eyes as he raked a hand through his blond curls, “you do know that you have to be careful in that world- there’s no one there to protect you over there.” </p><p>“Trust me,” I replied, walking over and kissing him on the cheek, feeling his stubble tickle my lips, “They aren’t like that- they asked me to go to the arcade with them after school-“</p><p>“Absolutely not,” Dad replied, crossing his arms and shooting daggers with his eyes at Aunt Sam before shifting in his seat to look at my brother. “Shaun, maybe you should-“ </p><p>“You guys are being asshats,” Fahr said from her corner of the couch, not even bothering to turn around. “Shadow is just as deadly as anyone in this room- we’ve all trained the kid, remember? If any of those little dickwads starts to try anything, I know my sister can handle it, so stop treating her like she’s made of glass.” </p><p>“Well said,” Mom replied, looking over at me as I gave Grandpa Nick a hug, his yellow eyes roaming over my face, no doubt checking to see how I was really doing. “I trust my kid, and if she says we don’t need to line up with pitchforks, then I believe her.” </p><p>“Thanks, Mom,” I said with a grateful smile, happy to see that someone still had a modicum of sense. “Now, lunch sucks over there,” I said with a grin, staring at my mom. ”So, is there anything for dinner that mom didn’t cook? If it’s possible, I want to eat something that doesn’t taste like sawdust."</p><p>She swatted at me across the table, making me jump back with a smile. “That’s the last time I defend you, kid.” <br/>
—<br/>
After we all had dinner and dessert (that was thankfully made by dad and Aunt Sam), I was finally able to get away from the love fest that was my family and head off to my room to do my homework, getting so lost in the reading that I didn’t hear the light knock at the door. “I tried knocking,” Shaun said casually, resting his tall and lanky frame in my doorway, "but it seems like you were in your own little world.” Then his eyes went wide and he let out a low whistle, taking in my room. “You’ve done some redecorating, I see.”</p><p>I grinned, throwing myself back onto the purple and white bedspread that my Aunt Lana had requested for me. “I convinced them to turn me loose with a can of paint,” I said sheepishly, twisting my braid between my fingers. “Like it?” </p><p>“A can? More like twenty,” Shaun said as he took in the swirls of color adorning the walls and sat on the painted white chair next to the neon pink desk. “Still in love with every color of the rainbow, I see.” </p><p>“The radiation in the air always makes it look like shit after a few months,” I said quietly, running my fingers across the pink and blue swirls I’d painted on the walls. “Figured I might as well have fun with it while it lasts.”</p><p>“If it makes you happy and doesn’t give you a seizure, then I say go for it,” Shaun replied, looking over the new laptop I’d been given. “Seriously?” He asked, looking at the laptop and jerking his thumb around. “You get tech like this?” He peered at it curiously, then turned to me with a wicked grin. “You know, I could probably make a few improvements on this thing, get it-“</p><p>“Don’t touch my stuff,” I warned, waving a pencil at him threateningly and trying unsuccessfully to dive under the covers as he hopped up from the chair and landed on my bed, tickling me. “<em>Stop!</em>” I screamed, trying uselessly to fight off my brother between howls of laughter. “I’m gonna piss myself if you don’t stop!”</p><p>“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t,” Shaun teased, settling back on my bed and staring up at the ceiling, his eyes widening at the stars I’d painted up there. “How’d you get your tiny butt up there to do that?”</p><p>Gasping for breath, I flopped back next to him. “I’ll have you know that Grandpa G says that 5’7” is average height, you lanky asshole.” </p><p>“Still doesn’t mean you can reach the top shelf.” He laughed as I punched him in the shoulder, then draped his leg on mine, pinning me to to the bed. “It looks nice- you’re getting a lot better at this.” </p><p>“Yeah, well X6 was a pretty good ladder,” I admitted, staring up at the constellations I’d painted. “Took us a whole weekend- by the time I finished, there was as much paint on him as there was on the ceiling.” </p><p>Shaun just shook his head. “Only you.” Then my brother turned to me, his brown eyes serious as they roamed over my face. “So, now that it’s just us chickens,” he said carefully, putting his hands behind his head, “how about you give me the real scoop on what happened today, Shadow.” </p><p>I sighed. “Nothing different to tell, actually.” I pulled out my phone and tossed it to him. “See for yourself.” </p><p>His fingers flew over the keys, resting on the text message that Noct had sent me. “Be honest- am I gonna need to kick someone’s ass, sis?” </p><p>“You’re such a tool,” I said, rolling my eyes. “They were literally the only two people that talked to me all day, besides the teachers, so pardon me if I don’t want my trigger-happy family fucking this up for me.”</p><p>He tossed my phone back to me. “Seems like you’re doing a decent job of that on your own- most people like replies when they send you a message.”</p><p>I stuck my tongue out at him. “What do you know? You’re old as hell, plus you don’t even have a phone, Shaun- why would I take advice from you?”</p><p>“Hey, twenty-five isn’t that old,” he said indignantly. “And unlike you, I’ve actually made friends- you should try it sometime instead of clinging to dad like some weird growth. Shadow.”</p><p>“You know,” I said, scowling at my brother, “I really hate that nickname sometimes- it’s not that I cling to him, it’s just-“</p><p>“That you cling to him,” Shaun said simply. “Dad’s a tough old bird- he doesn’t need you to fight his battles, Jenny.” He gave me an apologetic smile. “Trust me, the world isn’t gonna fall apart if you go off and do your own thing for a bit.” He tapped a finger on my phone, causing the screen to light up. “Text your friends- you won’t get anywhere if you don’t try, sis. But,” he said warningly as he got up from the bed, “just know I’ll be keeping an eye on you- if one of them even thinks about stepping out of line-“</p><p>I threw a pillow at him, making him laugh. “I hate you.”</p><p>“No you don’t,” he replied, placing a kiss on my head and laughing. “You love me too much to hate me.”</p><p>“Don’t test me,” I said, staring at the screen and biting my lip, pulling my knees up to my chest. “You think I should respond?”</p><p>Shaun gave me a look. “For someone so smart, you sure are stupid, sis- how do you expect to have friends if you don’t ever try?” </p><p>“Magic,” I replied, scowling at my brother. “I wish I was more like you, Shaun- nothing ever bothers you.” I stared sadly at him, looking at his slightly crooked nose, his big puppy dog brown eyes, and that slightly lopsided smile that seemed to melt the heart of every girl in a ten-mile radius. “I swear, it must be nice to be the perfect one in the family.” </p><p>“Low blow, Shadow,” Shaun said sadly, making my face fall as I realized my mistake. “Leave it to family to cut you the worst, right?”</p><p>Staring at him, I loved Shaun so much that I would often forget that he was a synth, like Grandpa Nick or X6.  Sure, Shaun looked human, but I knew that there was always a small part of him that wished there was no trace of the machine left in him. “Nerd,” I said, using the old nickname our older sister had given him, “you know I don’t mean it that way- I just wish I could be as open with people as you are.” </p><p>“Who knows,” he said with a shrug, sitting on the edge of my bed, putting his head in his hands. “Maybe it’s the way I was programmed- we all know no one in our family is winning any awards in the personality department.” </p><p>“Not true,” I replied, wrapping my arms around him and placing a kiss on his cheek. "Mom can do it pretty well- maybe you get it from her. And besides,” I teased, shoulder checking him, “If you were programmed, your level of perfection wouldn’t be this annoying- it’s kinda sickening how charming you are.”</p><p>“You only think that because you’re a feral pretending to be human, Shadow,” Shaun said, his face brightening a little as he blew out a shaky breath. Slowly, he got to his feet, brushing the dark curls out of his face before wiping his hands on the front of his jeans. “Text your friends- now that you’ve got one of those, I’m gonna go back downstairs and beg Aunt Sam for mine. I can’t believe you got one before me,” he grumbled. "I thought the oldest was supposed to get all the cool shit first?”</p><p>“Stop begging and maybe you’d get things,” I said absentmindedly as I focused on the screen, taking a deep breath as I started to reply to the message on the screen. “Seriously, you can leave now- I’ll be fine, Nerd.”</p><p>He laughed as he shut my door, and with shaking fingers, I sent a reply to the group chat:</p>
<p></p><div class="msg">
  <p class="speakerMsg">Hey, what’s up with that nickname? And nice to put a name to the face, even if it was half asleep the entire time</p>
</div><p>Realizing that not everyone was going to have their phone pressed to their face all the time, I set the phone on the bed and went back to my homework. <em>Maybe they’ll respond by the time I go to bed</em>, I thought. <em>If not, maybe I’ll just see them in school tomorrow. Or not. Whatever. </em></p><p>Before my thoughts could spiral out of control, there was a series of vibrations next to my leg- confused, I picked up the phone. </p>
<p></p><div class="msg">
  <p class="speaker">Prompto</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Was Noct the only one you saw on this thread? Sheesh, some people!</p>
  <p class="speaker">Noct</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Don’t be jealous, Prompt- green isn’t your color 🙂 </p>
  <p class="otherMsg">You’re just mad I won this round of King’s Knight</p>
  <p class="speaker">Prompto</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Anyway</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">How was the rest of your day, Sweets? No spitballs?</p>
  <p class="speaker">Noct</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">???</p>
</div><p>I stared at the flurry of responses- were they still hanging out together? Do people talk on their phones when they’re around each other? Frowning, I tapped out a response, not wanting them to think I was ignoring them.</p>
<p></p><div class="msg">
  <p class="speakerMsg">You eat two measly pastries and you get a nickname? Is that how this works? </p>
  <p class="speaker">Noct</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">No. I just couldn’t be bothered to remember your name.</p>
</div><p>When I read the message, I let out a loud barking laugh, sending my hand flying to my mouth. Smiling to myself, I thought for a moment before typing my response. </p>
<p></p><div class="msg">
  <p class="speakerMsg">You’re an asshole, Noct. </p>
  <p class="speaker">Prompto</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Sweets! Are you serious?</p>
  <p class="speaker">Noct</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">But I bring good treats, so you’ll deal with it</p>
  <p class="speakerMsg">Maybe. I do have some self-respect, you know. Or maybe I’ll just cut you out of the equation and hang out with Prompto</p>
  <p class="speaker">Noct</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">If you’re hanging with him, you’re hanging with me. So what does that tell you?</p>
  <p class="speaker">Prompto</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">That both of you are crazy</p>
  <p class="speaker">Noct</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">What did Prompt mean about spitballs, Sweets? What happened?</p>
</div><p>Confused, I stared at the screen- for a moment, it almost sounded like Noct gave a shit if something happened to me. Before I could reply, I felt another telltale buzz on my leg. <em>Thank god for the solar power station,</em> I thought as my phone lit up again. <em>It looks like I'm gonna have to charge this thing tonight.</em></p>
<p></p><div class="msg">
  <p class="speaker">Prompto</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">She thought people were going to throw spitballs at her head.</p>
  <p class="speaker">Noct</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Why would people do that? </p>
  <p class="speakerMsg">Because people are dicks</p>
  <p class="speaker">Prompto</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">yeah</p>
  <p class="speaker">Noct</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">No one did, right?</p>
  <p class="speaker">Prompto</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">If they bug you, tell us, ok?</p>
  <p class="speakerMsg">Why are you guys being so nice? </p>
</div><p>For a moment, there was no reply to my last message. Scared I had overstepped my bounds, I grabbed the phone and hastily sent another reply.</p>
<p></p><div class="msg">
  <p class="speakerMsg">I mean</p>
  <p class="speakerMsg">It’s fine and all, I was just</p>
</div><p>Before I could stammer my way through another response, Prompto saved me.</p>
<p></p><div class="msg">
  <p class="speaker">Prompto</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Because I know what it's like to not have anyone to talk to. </p>
</div><p>Feeling my heart warm a little, I wiped my eyes, glad that no one could see me right then. </p>
<p></p><div class="msg">
  <p class="speakerMsg">Thanks</p>
  <p class="speaker">Prompto</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">No prob. Ask your dad about going to the arcade, ok?</p>
  <p class="speaker">Noct</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Yeah. I gotta go, the next game round is starting. See U at school tomorrow, Sweets.</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">If you text us when you get there, I might have breakfast. Then again I might not... because I’m an asshole.</p>
  <p class="speakerMsg">I take it back. You’re the most awesome human being on the planet, Noct. </p>
  <p class="speaker">Noct</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">you just want me for my pastry</p>
  <p class="speakerMsg">Yep. Prompt is the one with the personality here</p>
  <p class="speaker">Prompto</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Even though I think that was a compliment, I feel like I should be offended</p>
  <p class="speaker">Noct</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Round is starting, Prompt</p>
  <p class="speaker">Prompto</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Ok, gotta go, Sweets- see U tomorrow!</p>
  <p class="speakerMsg">bye guys</p>
</div><p>Yeah, I thought as I placed my phone on the charger and curled up in my bed, <em>this going to school thing might not be so bad after all. </em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Coincidence</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A chance meeting leaves Ignis with more questions than answers</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s2">  </span> </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>The next day, I got up early, hoping to get to school as soon as possible. Slinging my backpack over my shoulder, I crept down the stairs, hoping not to wake up Dad. I wasn’t worried about waking up Mom- Dad liked to joke that she proved that she could sleep through anything when she slept through the apocalypse. Feeling the meager allowance of money Aunt Sam had given me jingling in my pocket, I was in a hurry to see if I could stop by a store and buy a snack- Noct had said he might bring me food, but I wasn’t stupid enough to rely on that. </p><p>As I hit the bottom of the stairs, I sniffed and felt my mouth water at the smell of eggs and bacon in the kitchen. “Dad, is that you?” I asked curiously, peeping around the corner and smiling as I saw my dad standing over the stove, scrambling some eggs while a pot of coffee brewed nearby. “What’s all this?” </p><p>He turned around, resting his palms against the edge of the stove as he smiled at me, his inky black eyes sparkling as he looked me over. “Hey, Shadow,” he replied, looking me over before turning back to the food and sliding it on a plate. “Thought I’d try to make you breakfast before you left.” </p><p>“You’re spoiling me,” I replied, looking hungrily at the food as I pushed thoughts of leaving without eating out of my mind. “What did I do to warrant you breaking out the bacon?” </p><p>“Figured today was as good a time as any,” he drawled, setting a plate down in front of me. “From what I hear, school’s a bitch- didn’t want you going off on an empty stomach.” </p><p>“You didn’t have to do this,” I said, digging hungrily into my breakfast. “I would’ve gotten something from a vending machine-“ </p><p>“Nah, no trouble,” Dad replied, settling down next to me with a plate of his own. He wasn’t dressed yet, just wearing a casual white shirt and a pair of black pants, making him look extremely relaxed as the early morning rays of sunshine filtered in through the dusty window. “If I can do it for ya,” he said with a casual shrug, "why wouldn’t I?” </p><p>“I’m not complaining,” I said, munching on a piece of bacon and flipping through the latest issue of Publick Occurrences laying on the table. Glancing up from the paper and seeing his scarred face smiling at me, I popped the last of the meat in my mouth and stared at him. “Can I ask you a question, Dad?”</p><p>Figuring something was up, Dad put down his fork and folded his hands. “Shoot,” he said mildly, causing me to let out a groan- Dad was always calmest before the storm. "What’s on your mind?”</p><p>Taking a deep breath and trying to be as adult as possible, I closed my eyes. “I would like to have a curfew,” I said quickly. “I don’t want to make you guys worry about me, but I do want the chance to meet people and hang out after school.” He didn’t say anything, so I took that as a good sign and plunged onward. “I won’t stay out too late, and I’ll leave my phone on- Mom can call it, I checked! And-“</p><p>Dad held up a hand, then looked back down at his food. “I’ll think about it.” </p><p>Unable to breathe for a moment I blinked, unsure if I’d heard him correctly. “Huh?” </p><p>He shrugged, going back to his food as if I hadn’t even spoken. “Said I’d think about it. Let’s give it a week, see how you do first- if you don’t get into any fights or trouble by the end of the week, then you can ask me again.”</p><p>“You know, it ain’t fair for you to ask me not to get into a fight when you do it all the time, Dad,” I said with a scowl as I stabbed my eggs. “What if they really deserve it?” </p><p>“I ain’t in school,” he replied casually, finishing his food and putting away his plate. “That’s the deal- take it or leave it, Shadow.” </p><p>“I’ll take it,” I said proudly, finishing my eggs and placing my plate in the sink. “Thanks, Dad!”</p><p>“Don’t thank me yet,” he warned as I placed a kiss on his leathery cheek. “You still have to stay out of trouble first.” </p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s2">  </span> </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>Ignis sighed as he entered Noctis’s apartment, his eyes roaming over the piles of trash strewn everywhere. Taking off his shoes and grimacing at the thought of the dirt beneath his feet, he sighed at the empty containers of Cup Noodles strewn across the floor. <em>Of course - Why would Noct eat a proper meal the one night I was trapped in meetings,</em> he thought with a sigh. <em>That boy will be the death of me. </em></p><p>Sometimes Ignis felt like he was two decades rather than two years older than the prince- today was one of those days. “Noctis,” Ignis said gently from the doorway, “you need to get up or you’ll be late for school.” </p><p>“Hmmm?” Noctis replied blearily, rubbing his eyes as he tossed the rumpled covers onto the floor. “It’s that time already?” </p><p>“Past that time, it appears,” Ignis replied. “I’m afraid I can’t make you a proper breakfast due to the state of your kitchen, but I did try another experiment last night-“ </p><p>In acknowledgment, Nocits just gave him a light wave as he headed off toward the shower. “Thanks, Iggy.”</p><p>Ignis just shook his head and sighed, rolling up the sleeves on his white dress shirt and pushing his glasses up onto his face as he set out to straighten up the apartment. Truthfully, Ignis didn’t mind cooking and cleaning for the prince- King Regis had asked him long ago to see to his care, and he’d proceeded to do that without question. When Noct had decided to move to an apartment in the Citadel earlier in the year, it was an unspoken thought that he’d oversee his care, making sure that Noctis would handle himself in a way befitting the royal family. Granted, the young man never did anything without some measure of prompting, but Ignis didn’t mind- he was needed, and in his mind, that was enough. </p><p>Just then, Noctis emerged from the bathroom, his dark hair still wet from the shower as he hastily buttoned his uniform. “Mind giving me a ride?” Noctis asked, not looking up from his phone. “I was supposed to meet Sweets and Prompto for breakfast.” He glanced over at the white bag of confections, taking one out and popping it into his mouth. “Not bad… still not quite right, but still really good.” </p><p>Ignis felt himself frown- he was sure that this baking experiment was going to be the one to yield the perfect dessert. “One day I’m going to get that blasted recipe right,” he said as he loaded the dishes in the dishwasher. Noctis was typing something furious on his phone, and Ignis noticed the purple Chocobo dangling from the case. “That’s new,” he said, eyeing the charm. “When did you get that?” </p><p>“Yesterday,” Noctis replied, gathering his stuff and heading for the door while Ignis washed his hands. “Sweets gave it to me in exchange for your pastries.” </p><p>Ignis just laughed as he dried his hands, gathering his belongings and making a mental checklist of all the things he had to do once he returned to the apartment. “I’m glad to see they were worth it."</p><p>Noctis just shrugged. “Sweets thought so.” </p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s2">  </span> </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>It turned out that even after talking with Dad, I was still early. Deciding not to bother everyone, I sat down on a bench and pulled out my sketchbook, drawing the landscape around me. I couldn’t wait to be off this probationary period- I wanted to see what the fashion around here was like, but school wasn’t going to do me any favors in that department, since everyone was in uniform.  I hated the skirt I was forced to wear, as it showed off my scarred knees and freckles, but I  also wasn’t planning on doing anything to rock the boat- I could always see what I could get away with changing after Dad deemed me fit for release into the wild. </p><p>Lost in my thoughts, I barely noticed my phone buzzing in my bag.</p>
<p></p><div class="msg">
  <p class="speaker">Noctis</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Overslept. Catching a ride. </p>
  <p class="speaker">Prompto</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Oh cool, can you swing by and pick me up too?</p>
  <p class="speaker">Noctis</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">What about you, Sweets? Need a ride?</p>
</div><p>Looking around and checking the time, I chuckled, dashing off my responses. </p>
<p></p><div class="msg">
  <p class="speakerMsg">I’ve been here forever- was hoping for breakfast</p>
  <p class="speakerMsg">That was a joke, by the way</p>
  <p class="speakerMsg">But I won’t complain if you have it</p>
</div><p>Staring at my screen and inwardly kicking myself for not knowing how to text properly, I vowed to ask my mom and have her give me lessons- this should not be this anxiety-inducing. </p>
<p></p><div class="msg">
  <p class="speaker">Noctis</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">P, be there in 5</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Sweets, no one likes a show-off</p>
  <p class="speaker">Prompto</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Cool- I’m outside. </p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Sweets, did you ask about the arcade?</p>
  <p class="speakerMsg">I did- I’m on probation for a week, then I can ask him again</p>
  <p class="speaker">Prompto</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Whoa, are you a criminal, Sweets? </p>
  <p class="speaker">Noctis</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Yeah, are you a spy from Niflheim, sent in to steal all our desserts?</p>
  <p class="speakerMsg">Fuck you guys- I don’t even know where that is</p>
  <p class="speakerMsg">But if you bring me treats I’ll tell you the story</p>
  <p class="speaker">Noctis</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Then get ready to talk- we’ll be there in 15. Where r u? </p>
  <p class="speakerMsg">On the bench out front</p>
  <p class="speaker">Prompto</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">There’s a lot of benches out front, Sweets</p>
  <p class="speakerMsg">How many have a weird-looking girl with curly red hair sitting on them?</p>
  <p class="speaker">Noctis</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">You got a point</p>
</div><p>Ignoring the fact that Noct had basically just called me weird, I just shook my head and moved to a bench closer to the road- I figured the easier I was for them to spot, the less shit they would give me when they arrived. As I gathered my stuff and wandered to the other bench, I wondered why these two were being so nice to me, but I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the feeling. Just as I felt the lump of uncertainty rising in my throat, I felt my phone buzz again. Frowning, I realized the message wasn’t from Noct or Prompto, but from a number that I didn’t recognize. To be fair, there wouldn’t be many numbers I would recognize, considering I’d never really had a reason to use a phone before.</p>
<p></p><div class="msg">
  <p class="speaker">???</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Morning Shadow, hope you have a good day in school today. It’s me, aunt Sam- just wanted to check in and see how you were doing. Save this number, ok?</p>
</div><p>Breathing a sigh of relief, I smiled as my fingers flew back over the keys, my relief coming out in every keystroke.</p>
<p></p><div class="msg">
  <p class="speakerMsg">Hey Aunt Sam- things are good, I think.</p>
  <p class="speaker">Aunt Sam</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">That doesn’t sound ominous at all, Shadow</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Is it about Noct and Prompt?</p>
  <p class="speakerMsg">That will never stop being creepy as fuck, Aunt Sam</p>
  <p class="speaker">Aunt Sam</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Try saying creepy AF, it’ll go faster. Also, language</p>
  <p class="speakerMsg">Sorry</p>
  <p class="speakerMsg">But yeah, it’s about them- how did you know? </p>
  <p class="speaker">Aunt Sam</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Because I’m a motherfucking wizard</p>
  <p class="speakerMsg">Language, Aunt Sam</p>
  <p class="speaker">Aunt Sam</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">It doesn’t work in reverse. </p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Anyway, they’re cool peeps. You could do worse.</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Say hi to - you know what, don’t do that. Just have fun</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">And be honest-you can talk to them. </p>
  <p class="speakerMsg">Seriously? </p>
  <p class="speakerMsg">And don’t think I didn’t catch you leaving me with a cliffhanger, Aunt Sam</p>
  <p class="speaker">Aunt Sam</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">We’ll talk later- your friends are here</p>
</div><p><em>I hate my family,</em> I thought as I put my phone away, watching the sleek black car pull to a stop in front of me. <em>Gotta give the woman points for style though.</em> Taking a deep breath and remembering Shaun’s advice to try for once, I plastered a smile on my face and waved as Noct and Prompt tumbled out the car like puppies, looking tired and disheveled. “Sup, Sweets,” Prompto said cheerfully, sweeping his hair to the side. “Sorry we’re late.” </p><p>“Rough night?” I asked, happily eyeing the white bag in Noct’s hand. “How late were you guys up, anyway?” </p><p>Noct shrugged, waving to the driver of the car they’d gotten out of. When the car didn’t move, he frowned and turned to his phone, his fingers flying over the keys. “Prompt couldn’t accept defeat, so we kept playing. I guess the time got away from us.” After a few moments of typing, the black car sped away and Noct turned to me with a weird look, handing me the bag. “Told you I’m not an asshole.” </p><p>“That remains to be seen,” I said, reaching in the bag. Guiltily, I looked up, glancing at the others as we made our way toward the school. “Wait a minute- before I go all in on these goodies, did you guys eat yet? I don’t want to be a rude little piggy.” </p><p>“Too late for that,” Noct said dryly, earning him an elbow in the ribs from Prompto. Rolling his eyes, he let out an exaggerated sigh. “Yes, we ate in the car. The rest of these are yours.” We started walking toward the building as I dug inside the bag, pulling out a treat and giving a triumphant squeal of delight. “I’m glad those make you so happy, but the deal was a story for the treats, Sweets.” </p><p>However, I had chosen that moment to shove a whole pastry in my mouth, feeling like a gigantic rodent as I turned toward them. There was cream on my lip and pieces of crispy dough around my mouth, and I tried desperately to swallow, which only resulted in me choking myself. “Dang, Sweets,” Prompto said, whacking me on the back and making me spray food on the ground in front of me, “I know Iggy can cook, but you act like they don't feed you at home!”</p><p>“No, they feed me,” I wheezed, trying to catch my breath and wiping myself off. “I just… I never had anything like this before.” </p><p>Noctis was silent, watching the whole exchange like a hawk. “So, now that you aren’t dying,” he said evenly, as if me almost choking to death in front of him was an everyday thing, “how about you tell us what’s your deal, Sweets? Why’d your dad put you on lockdown?”</p><p>“Short version- I tend to start fights when people think it’s ok to be mean to my family.” Checking my schedule and looking at the time, I groaned. “We don’t have enough time for the long version- I gotta get to my gym class.” </p><p>“Oh, we’ve got plenty of time,” Noct said, wrapping an arm around my shoulder and wiping off a stray piece of crust from my jacket. “It’s our first class, too.”</p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s2">  </span> </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>If the car hadn’t been in park, Ignis certainly would have crashed it when he saw the girl sitting on the bench. </p><p>Stunned into silence, he couldn’t make his brain function- it was too early in the morning for world-shifting events. <em>It can’t be her</em>, Ignis thought, blinking so rapidly he felt his eyes start to water. <em>After all this time, there’s no way it’s the same girl. </em></p><p>He’d spent so long telling himself it wasn’t a memory, but a very vivid dream- there was no way he’d spent the day with a little redheaded girl that no one in the palace could remember, so he eventually stopped inquiring about the matter altogether. However, the memorization of facts and faces had been drilled into Ignis at such a young age that there was very little he was able to forget, and her face was no exception. Yes, the hair was certainly unique, but he could chalk that up to coincidence. The freckles dancing across the bridge of her nose were enough to give him pause, but he could just dismiss that as a curious variant he hadn’t seen much of before. However, it was the deep green eyes that made him forget how to breathe- they were the same ones he’d seen on the face of the time goddess, the same shade as the stone she’d placed in his hand to keep him from what was likely to be a severe punishment, as it had been the second time they’d run off that week. And when the girl's face lit up when Noct and Prompto got out the car, Ignis could see that her smile was exactly the same as it was the day they flew across the palace grounds, chasing after her black and white ball. </p><p>Suddenly, the console began to vibrate and Ignis looked down, seeing his phone light up with a message from Noct. <em>Everything ok? </em></p><p>Ignis swallowed, trying to regain his composure as he adjusted his glasses, running his hand over his hair. <em>Yes, why?</em></p><p>The message came back quickly, judging Ignis with its simplicity. <em>Because you’re just sitting here- you never do that, Iggy.</em> </p><p>Thinking about it for a moment and letting his eyes dart back to the girl, Ignis took a deep breath. It was taking all his composure to not get out of the car and introduce himself to the woman, but he knew that wasn’t the right thing to do. Instead, he typed a quick response to his friend.</p>
<p></p><div class="msg">
  <p class="speakerMsg">Who is the girl on the bench?</p>
  <p class="speaker">Noctis</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">That’s Sweets</p>
  <p class="speakerMsg">I surmised. What is her actual name? </p>
</div><p><em>It isn’t her,</em> Ignis thought as he waited for a response. <em>There’s no way that the exact same girl that would be hanging out with Noct after all this time</em>, he reasoned. <em>It’s just a coincidence, it’s just-</em></p>
<p></p><div class="msg">
  <p class="speaker">Noctis</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Jenny Hancock. </p>
</div><p>Ignis nearly dropped his phone as he floored the accelerator, desperate to get as far away from everyone as humanly possible. </p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s2">  </span> </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>“So,” Noct said as he sat against the tree and closed his eyes, “you gave us the short version- why are you so scrappy, Sweets?” </p><p>I sighed, sitting on the grass next to him and Prompto, tugging on the hem of my new gym shorts. “Why are these shorts even like this?” I groused. “Seriously, they’re riding up the crack of my ass!” </p><p>“Not a vision I wanted,” Noct replied, folding his hands behind his head. “If you’re going to avoid the question, you could just go run around in circles like everyone else.” </p><p>“And you could stop trying to take a nap, but you don’t see me giving you shit for it,” I retorted, earning a giggle from Prompto. “God, you are so fucking entitled sometimes it's obscene, Noct!” Suddenly, Prompto let out a cough and I frowned, whacking him on the back to clear his throat. “Whoa,” I said, watching as the redness faded from his face, “are you all right?” </p><p>He nodded, then looked at Noct. “I’m fine, it’s just-“ </p><p>“That he’s not used to someone being as much of a shit to me as you are,” Noct interrupted, smiling at me. “I gotta admit, it’s kinda refreshing.” </p><p>I shrugged, running my hands over the luscious green grass- it was so different from the brittle and dry reeds at home. “What, does everyone tiptoe around the rich people here?” Glancing up at the two of them for a moment, I turned away, staring at the grass and running my fingertips in the dirt. “Just because you guys have fancy houses and shit doesn’t make you better than me- my mom used to say that those kinds of folks can just afford to dress their shitty attitudes up a little better.” Glaring, I turned back to face the boys I was finding myself eager to call my friends, but I was damned if I was going to be their charity case. “That being said, you two seem cool.” I shrugged, noticing the looks of incredulity on their faces. “What? I give you shit, you give it to me right back, which means I’ve got no problems with you.” </p><p>Prompto just looked at me. “I’m not rich, Sweets,” the blond said quickly. “I’m like, so far from the vicinity of rich that it’s not even funny. And Noct…” His voice trailed off, looking at his friend before lowering his head. “Noct is the prince,” he blurted out, earning a groan from the boy leaning against the tree. “I’m sorry,” he said quickly, “but this was getting super awkward with her not knowing, Noct!” </p><p>I blinked. “You’re the prince? The one everyone’s talking about?”</p><p>Noct let out a sigh, then closed his eyes as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Yep. Was kinda nice with you not knowing, Sweets.” </p><p>“Well, hell,” I said, picking up a pile of grass and throwing it at him. “I guess I'm supposed to be all respectful and stuff, but too bad- I’m not from here and I’m too lazy to give a shit.” Noct opened an eye, but I just smiled and shrugged. “Guess it must be all the sweets I just ate. Anyway,” I said, settling back on the grass, “I got in trouble for fighting people who were talking crap about me and my family- I don’t like to deal with mean people… at all.” </p><p>Noct frowned for a moment, then fully opened his eyes. “What kinds of things were they saying?"</p><p>“Lots of stuff,” I said thoughtfully. “Like I had to be a lab experiment because my dad has a…. condition,” I said hesitantly. “Or that the only reason no one tried to cut me open to find out how I worked was because my Dad's the Mayor. Or that my mom was a… well, never mind- they said a lot of stuff,” I said sadly, running my fingers over the grass. “I hated those kids. Stopped going to school for a minute and let my mom teach me, but my aunt thought I might do better here.” </p><p>“Smart lady,” Noct replied with a smile. “Just so you know, I have no idea what a Mayor is, so I won’t be giving you any special treatment either.” He nodded his head to Prompto. “What about you, Prompt?”</p><p>The blond just smiled, pulling out his camera. “Nope- from now on, you’re just one of us… and we’re gonna take the picture to prove it.” Using a book, he propped up the camera and looked over at me. “Go sit in front of Noct,” he ordered as he fiddled with the camera. “The light out here is perfect- I’m gonna join you guys as soon as I set this timer.” </p><p>Shaking my head, I laughed and scooted over to the dark-haired boy, leaving space for Prompto on the other side of him. “Is he always this bossy?” </p><p>“When it comes to his pictures, then yes,” Noct replied, leaning on my shoulder and waiting for the camera to go off. “Now, I know you’re all super important and serious back home, but I’m going to need you to remember to smile, Sweets- I’d hate for you to be the one to ruin the photo.” </p><p>“Asshole,” I said, laughing as the camera flash went off. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. What did you just call me?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Noct and Jenny train together</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s2">  </span> </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>By now, Ignis was sure that Noct was toying with him on purpose. </p><p>For the past few weeks, Noctis had been infuriatingly obtuse regarding anything that had to do with Jenny. The prince had refused all his offers of rides, and no matter how often Ignis made his way back to the apartment after school, the only thing that he’d ever find on his seemingly random visits was Prompto, studying or playing games with Noct. When Ignis carefully asked why the third member of their trio never seemed to join them, the prince merely smiled as he took Prompto’s camera, explaining that Jenny always went straight home after school. Curious, Ignis pressed him further, but the prince just shrugged, getting up to get a soda from the fridge and setting the camera down on the counter where Ignis was preparing dinner.</p><p>While Noct’s back was to him, Ignis leaned over to see the picture on the display, fighting back an audible gasp at the picture on the screen. The photo showed the intrepid trio under a tree, with the boys leaning on Jenny's shoulders. She was laughing in the photo, her bright red curls piled into a ponytail at the top of her head. Her bright green eyes seemed to stare at him from the picture, almost beckoning him to touch the glass.</p><p>Suddenly, Ignis heard a throat clearing behind him and turned to the source, his stomach sinking with embarrassment. “See anything interesting?” Noct asked casually, resting his arm against the counter as he placed his hand over the screen, slowly pulling the camera toward him. Glancing over at the camera, the prince looked over at Ignis with a smirk. “I’m sorry,” he said dryly, “I didn’t mean to leave that here- my mistake.” </p><p>From his seat on the couch, Prompto shot up, pumping his fist in the air. “I <em>knew</em> it! Iggy’s got a crush on Sweets!” </p><p>Noct just looked at him, his face devoid of any expression. “You know, you could’ve just told me you liked her,” he said flatly. “If you had, I would’ve helped.”</p><p>“I-“, Ignis stammered, feeling his face aflame at the insinuation, “I… I was merely <em>curious</em>, that’s all- you seem to be quite close, but I never see her with you-“</p><p>“Cut the crap,” Noct said, opening his soda and returning to his place on the couch. “It’s okay to be human, Iggy.” </p><p>“Not like it matters,” Prompto said, staring at his phone. “She’s still on lockdown.” He looked up thoughtfully, placing a finger on his lips. “How much of a badass do you think Sweets is to warrant getting into this much trouble?” </p><p>Noct shrugged, then looked down at his phone. “No clue,” he said as he placed the half-empty soda on the floor. “But, it looks like she got released- she’s asking if we can go to the arcade tomorrow after class to celebrate.” </p><p>“Fine by me,” Prompto replied. “We haven’t been in weeks, and they have this new game I’m itching to try.” Then he paused, his blue eyes going wide for a moment before darting over to Ignis. “Hey, do you think we should-“</p><p>Ignis pinched the bridge of his nose as if it would drown out the conversation. “As much as I appreciate your efforts,” he said stiltedly, “I’m afraid you’re going to have to turn down Ms. Hancock’s request- you have training tomorrow afternoon, Noctis.” </p><p>Noct sighed and leaned his head against the couch. Before Prompto could start typing a reply, Noct placed a hand over the phone. “What if we compromised?” </p><p>Ignis paused, the vegetables he was trying to dice into oblivion momentarily forgotten. “What do you mean?”</p><p>“Gimme two hours at the arcade,” he said slowly, looking over at Prompto with a small grin forming on his face. “If you can do that, I can guarantee you that I’ll be at my training session… with Sweets.” </p><p><em>This is a terrible idea,</em> Ignis thought as his head betrayed him and nodded yes. “I’ll make the necessary arrangements with Gladio."</p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s2">  </span> </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>Taking in the noise and sights of the arcade, my eyes went wide. “Holy shit,” I hissed, “You guys have the coolest shit I’ve ever seen!” Seeing two guns attached to a machine, I turned to Noct and Prompto with desperation. “I will love you forever if you play this with me,” I barked, pointing at the screen. “There is no way I’m turning down the chance to shoot things without my parents yelling at me.” </p><p>Prompto got an expression of pure horror on his face. “Geez, Sweets, where do you live!” He popped some coins into the machine, picking up one of the guns. “I’ll play, but I gotta warn you- I have one of the highest scores on this.” </p><p>“You are so on,” I replied, picking up the other gun. It was made of plastic and the scope was shitty, but as I peered down the barrel I nodded, shifting the weight in my hands. “I can work with this.” </p><p>“You’re starting to sound a little scary,” Noct said, resting against a nearby machine. “But then again, you could just be talking a good game.” </p><p>“Why do you always have to try and piss me off, Noct?” I growled, waiting for the enemies to come across the screen. Taking a second to watch how Prompto moved across the screen, I gave a curt nod and proceeded to light up the screen, landing headshot after headshot. “I like this game,” I breathed, reloading the gun and giving Prompto a high five as we cleared the level. “We <em>so</em> need to do this again.” </p><p>“I take back what I said,” Noct replied, sipping a soda he’d pulled out of his backpack. “You are kinda scary, Sweets.” </p><p>“A girl needs to be able to handle herself in any situation,” I replied cheekily as the enemies danced across the screen. “Shooting at things that aren’t trying to eat you is a cakewalk.” </p><p>“Big deal,” Noct said breezily. “I gotta go do <em>real</em> combat training today- you two play with your toys,” he said dismissively. “I’ll see you when you come up for air.”</p><p>My jaw dropped. “No fucking way,” I breathed. “Do you know how long it's been since I got to practice with swords?” </p><p>Noct's raised eyebrow was the only indicator he was actually interested in my comment. “You know how to use a sword?” </p><p>Ignoring him for a moment as we cleared the stage, I nodded. “Yep. My uncles taught me. Daggers too,” I said quickly, then paused as I helped Prompto fight the boss for the level. “You know, saying that out loud makes me sound a little murderous.”</p><p>“A little?” Prompto said incredulously, glancing at me out the corner of his eye. “You sound like a member of the Crownsguard, Sweets."</p><p>“Then they sound like really cool people,” I replied as the boss went down. “It’s always nice to see someone lose their shit when the tiny redhead puts them on their ass- it’s better than a birthday present.” </p><p>“Somehow I doubt you’re as good as you say you are, Sweets,” Noct said causally. “For some reason, I see you more as a delicate flower than a murderous daemon.”</p><p>“You take that back this instant!” I barked, not taking my eyes off the screen. “If you weren’t royalty, I’d put you on your ass for that one, Noct- not even my <em>dad</em> gets to call me something that insulting!” </p><p>“Prove it,” he said teasingly. “Come to the training grounds- it’ll be your one chance to legally hit the crown prince of Lucis.” He paused for a moment, and I could hear the grin in his voice. “Well, try to, anyway.” </p><p>“Oh my god, how can anyone stand to be around you?” I huffed, shoving the gun into the holster and whirling around on the smirking boy next to me. “Make no mistake, I can totally kick your ass,<em> your highness</em>.”</p><p>“Care to prove it?” Noct asked, leaning into my face. His blue eyes were dancing with excitement, even when he wore his patented expression of disinterest. “We can make a friendly wager- if I win, you have to go fishing with us… and carry everything.” </p><p>“And <em>when</em> I win,” I said pointedly, “you get to buy me all the sushi I can eat.” I stuck out my hand and grinned wickedly as Noct shook it. “This is the best day ever,” I whispered, rubbing my hands together before something dawned on me. “Fuck!” I hissed. "I’m gonna be stuck fighting in this stupid skirt!” </p><p>“You could always run home and change,” Noct said casually. “I can wait- not like you're gonna be a challenge anyway.” </p><p>I shook my head quickly, ignoring the taunt. “No… I can’t do that,” I stammered. “If I go back home, I can’t come back out… it's a… weird family rule,” I said quickly, not wanting to get into the details of my situation right then. “I’ll just…”</p><p>“You could just forfeit,” Noct said casually. “We can always go fishing on Saturday- just remember, I like to carry at least three poles and multiple types of bait.”</p><p>“It’s going to be <em>really</em> fucking satisfying when I kick your ass in this skirt,” I said, laughing as Noct poked me in the ribs. “Prompto, I want lots of pictures- I need this moment captured on film.”</p><p>“Way ahead of you, Sweets,” Prompto replied, slinging his bag over his shoulder. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world.” </p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s2">  </span> </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>Ignis was waiting at the training grounds for the others, but as the brawny man next to him could attest, he was currently not anything approaching patient. “Specs,” Gladio said as he leaned against a pillar, “what’s eating you today? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so wound up before.” </p><p>Without meaning to, Ignis began to scowl at the man. Gladiolus Amicitia, or Gladio for short, was one of Noctis’s oldest friends. Though he was only a year older than Ignis, Gladio was Noctis’s bodyguard and trainer- where Ignis had to gently prod almost every other aspect of his friend’s life, training was never an area he had a concern. This was coming back to bite him, however, as Ignis rarely showed up to one of Noct’s training sessions unless there was a special reason or an issue that needed to be addressed. Since none of those were the case today, his fidgety presence stood out like a sore thumb. “It’s nothing,” he grumbled, forcing himself to settle as he stared at his pants. “Just making sure Noctis comes- he wanted to stop by the arcade first, so him being waylaid is entirely possible.” </p><p>“Mmm,” Gladio replied, obviously not buying his explanation in the least. “And it wouldn’t have anything to do with that cutie he’s got with him, would it?” </p><p>At Gladio’s words, Ignis felt his head jerk up without thinking, his green eyes settling on the redhead in the center of Noct and Prompto. Seeing her in front of him gave him a sense of deja vu- he could see the past being overlaid on the present, the events of all those years ago playing through his mind. <em>You don’t know her,</em> he warned himself. <em>It’s been eight years- don’t get yourself twisted out of shape based on words tossed out as casually as water. </em></p><p>“You’re drooling,” Gladio said quietly. “Might want to close your mouth before she starts screaming bloody murder about the creepy guy with the glasses.” </p><p>“You’re insufferable,” Ignis huffed, adjusting his glasses and turning toward the trainer. “Stop being uncouth, Gladio- I’m merely here to watch the lesson today.” </p><p>“Good,” Gladio teased, glancing over at the group as the girl poked Noct in the chest and laughing as Prompto took a picture. “Then you won’t mind if I introduce myself, will you? She might need a guide around Insomnia, maybe a nice dinner-” </p><p>The look on Ignis’s face couldn’t be mistaken for anything other than murderous. “I’d prefer if you didn’t,” he said tersely, crossing his arms. “Not all the women in town need to succumb to your charms, Gladiolus.” </p><p>“Then go talk to her,” Gladio urged, nudging Ignis with his shoulder. “It’s got to be better than you wearing a hole in the ground up here.” </p><p>“I can’t,” Ignis hissed, feeling rooted to the spot with fear. “What if she thinks me too forward, or-“ </p><p>“Noct!” Gladio glared at Ignis, then rolled his eyes before addressing the group. "Glad you finally decided to grace us with your presence, your highness!” The warrior's booming voice rolled across the area, making Jenny’s eyes turn to him sharply. "What took you so long?” </p><p>“He took me to the arcade to celebrate my dad getting his head out of his ass,” Jenny replied quickly. “But then this asshole started talking shit about me, so I’m here to kick his ass.” Gladio blinked, and Ignis bit back a chuckle- <em>some things never change</em>, he thought. “Jenny Hancock,” she said, sticking her hand out to the man she’d just stunned into silence. “Pleased to meet ‘cha.” </p><p>Gladio stammered an introduction and Ignis felt like time had just rolled backward, remembering their first meeting all those years ago. <em>She’s still the same</em>, he thought quietly, his eyes taking in the scene in front of him, then turning away to catch his breath as Noctis started to change his shirt. <em>I can’t believe it- it’s still her. </em></p><p>Just then, he felt a tap on his shoulder and his heart leaped in his throat. “Yes,” he said carefully, trying to keep the nerves out of his voice, “can I help you?” </p><p>“Yeah, you could introduce yourself- the last guy who skulked around without giving me a name turned out to be a prince- it’s not likely to happen twice, but stranger things have happened. Jenny Hancock,” she said, extending her hand to him as her bright eyes searched his face. “Nice glasses,” she said with a smile, reaching up and tapping a finger against the edge of the frame. “I like ‘em.” </p><p>Finally remembering his name, he took her hand in his, marveling at the feel of her skin on his. “Ignis Scientia,” he said roughly, shaking her hand. “Pleased to make your acquaintance.”</p><p>“Scientia,” she mused, scanning his face before giving him a grin that set his heart aflame. “Glasses, smart-sounding last name… you aren’t some kind of genius, are you?”</p><p>“I am Noctis’s royal advisor,” he said quickly, adjusting his glasses on his face. “Intelligence is a requirement of the job, Miss Hancock.”</p><p>Jenny rolled her eyes. “I didn’t ask you what you <em>did</em>,” she said pointedly. “I asked what you <em>were</em>. You can be a supervillain or you can be the smartest and kindest man on the planet- no matter what your job was, you’d still be a genius. Where I’m from, you learn to suss out what matters.” </p><p>“Quite astute for someone so young,” Ignis said, quickly wishing he could shove his foot into his mouth. “Where exactly are you from, anyway?” </p><p>“Shows what you know- I’ll be sixteen next month.” She shook her head, grinning madly as she evaded his question. “But,” Jenny said quickly, “even if you are cute, I don’t know you well enough to give out my home address.”  She gave him a pat on the arm, then raced over to the prince, leaving Ignis with his mouth hanging open as he watched Jenny bound away. “I hope you’re ready for me to kick your ass, Noct!” She began hunting through the pile of practice weapons- Ignis noticed a distinct gleam in her eyes as she came up with a pair of daggers. “Oh <em>yeah</em>,” she said, turning the weapons over in her hand. “I can work with this.” </p><p>“I’m not going easy on you,” Noct warned, reaching for his sword. “You sure you want to do this, Sweets? I’d hate to send you home black and blue- your dad won’t let you out with us for the rest of the year if I do.” </p><p>“Only if he finds out I let you win,” she replied, twirling the fake blades around in her palms and taking up her stance. Ignis’ eyes went wide as she got into a proper stance- he'd thought she was going to change, but she’d simply tossed her jacket on the ground, reminding him of how she’d started their meeting all those years ago. “Hit me with your best shot, <em>your highness</em>,” she said mockingly. “I can’t wait to get the future king of Lucis on his back!” </p><p>“Okay,” Gladio said quietly, joining Ignis as the two fighters began circling each other, “If you don’t say something, I’m <em>so</em> doing it.” He let out a low whistle as the two began trading blows, the redhead parrying Noct’s strikes with ease, not even wincing when the flat of his blade caught her across the legs, knocking her to the ground. “She’s my kind of girl.” </p><p>“Once again,” Ignis said quietly as he watched Jenny slide on the ground between Noct’s spread out legs and bound up, her tiny dagger resting against the back of his throat, “I’d prefer if you didn’t.” The advisor blushed as Jenny flipped down her upturned skirt, showing off her muscular legs and frowning as blades of grass clung to the back of her thigh. <em>She's gorgeous</em>, he thought. <em>After all this time, I can't believe she's real.</em></p><p>“That was pretty good,” Gladio said in a louder voice, approaching the two fighters and clapping. “I’m impressed, Red.” </p><p>Jenny wiped her sweaty hair away from her face, then stared defiantly at Gladio. “I got enough nicknames,” she said with a smile. “So you can pick from either Jenny or Sweets- I’m not accepting any new applications at the moment.” </p><p>“Sweets it is,” Gladio replied, offering her a bottle of water. “Nice moves out there.”</p><p>“Thanks- there was sushi on the line, so I had to make it count.” She eyed Noct’s large sword with an eager eye. “You think you guys could train me to use something like that?” </p><p>“Leave something for the rest of us,” Noct teased, tossing Jenny her jacket as he took a bottle from Gladio. “Even though you won, you still didn’t get me on my back- I’m disappointed in you, Sweets.”</p><p>“Next time,” she said wickedly, clinking her bottle to his before taking a swig. “Still think I’m some weak fucking flower, Noct?”</p><p>“More like a Cactaur,” he replied with a grin. Then he looked down at her skirt and the grass stains on her elbows and frowned. “Um, I think you might be in trouble when you get home,” Noct said carefully. “Your clothes are a mess, Sweets.” </p><p>“Fuck!” Jenny hissed as she plopped on the bench, scowling as she noticed the tear in her skirt. “That sushi better be amazing,” she grumbled. “My dad is gonna tear me a new one for this.” </p><p>“Iggy can fix it,” Prompto said absentmindedly, going through the photos. Then he looked up and noticed the huge rip in her skirt and let out a whistle. “Or... you could trash it,” he said politely, averting his eyes back to the camera. “But it was a pretty cool fight, at least.” </p><p>Without another word, Ignis had taken off his jacket, walking over and wrapping it around the girl’s shoulders. “I’d be happy to repair your uniform,” he said kindly, smiling as he noticed her pulling his jacket around her shoulders. “Noctis ruins his clothing on a daily basis- repairing another few items would be no trouble at all.”</p><p>“Genius <em>and</em> a gentleman,” Jenny said with a smile. “I’d fix it myself, but I don’t have a sewing kit anymore,” she said with a frown. “My aunt might be pretty upset if she has to get me a new uniform already.”</p><p>“We can return to Noct’s house and you can find some suitable clothes,” Ignis said casually, trying to keep his tone light. “And if it makes it easier, we’d be happy to take you home afterward.”</p><p>At that, Jenny went pale for a moment, then recovered. “No,” she said shakily, smoothing her hair in the ponytail. “If you don’t mind me borrowing your coat for the evening, I can go home like this.” She stood up and sure enough, his coat went to her knees as if it were a dress. “I’ll return it to Noct tomorrow, promise.” </p><p>The sight of her in his coat was enough to send his pulse racing, and the idea of her in it with nothing else underneath made his face go flame red. “I assure you, it’s no trouble to take you home,” Ignis said gently. “I don’t want anything happening to you on your travels.” </p><p>“No… I’ll just call for a ride,” she said, looking as if the very idea seemed impossible to her. “I’m not putting you guys out cause I wanted to be stupid. I’m just gonna go call my aunt and take off these clothes.” She glared at Noct and Prompto, pointing an angry finger at the boys. “And if <em>anyone</em> peeks, I’m ripping their nuts off.” </p><p>“Do you need a hug?” Prompto asked warily, looking between the other guys before returning his attention to her. “You seem kinda mean this evening, Sweets.” </p><p>“Whoops- didn’t mean to,” she said, giving the boy a smile before giving him a hug. “I guess I’m just nervous about getting yelled at for being a brat and fighting, that’s all.” </p><p>“If it helps, you weren’t fighting- you were attending a training lesson with the prince,” Noct said helpfully. “Ordinarily, I wouldn’t let the lowly daughter of a mayor trade on my name like that, but since you did beat me fair and square…” His voice was flat, but his eyes were anxious, the only thing giving away how nervous he was for his friend. “What can you do, right?”</p><p>Smiling, Jenny leaned over and gave him a hug, leaning against Noct’s shoulder. “I guess it’ll do,” she replied. “Just remember, you owe me a boatload of sushi, Noct.” </p><p>“It was worth it, Sweets,” Noct replied, glancing over her head and giving Ignis a wide smile. “Totally worth it.” </p><p>--</p><p>The next day, Ignis stifled a yawn as he entered Noct’s apartment, surprised to see the prince sitting at the counter with one of the reports the advisor had left for him. “I was going to make Ebony, but I didn’t want to destroy it,” Noct said casually. "So, I defer to your coffee-making skills, Iggy."</p><p>“A sound decision,” Ignis replied, making his way over to the coffee pot and sitting a neatly-packaged bundle on the counter. “I’ve brought your friend’s clothing- I thought you might want to take it to her today.”</p><p>Noct raised his eyebrow, not even looking up from his report. “I’m sure Sweets has another uniform- you didn’t have to do it right away.” </p><p>Ignis shrugged, tapping his finger against the counter as the coffee started to brew. “It was no trouble.” </p><p>Noct didn’t reply right away- instead, he raised his head, giving Ignis a piercing stare as he settled back in his chair. “You still like her.” </p><p>His choice of words took Ignis by surprise. “Excuse me?” </p><p>“You remember her, don’t you? From that day we played together in the gardens, right?” When Ignis flushed, Noct smiled, drumming his pencil on the tabletop. “I haven’t seen anyone else make the great Ignis Scientia lose his cool quite like her- what did she do to you that day?” </p><p>Realizing he’d never told the prince what she’d said, he turned back to the coffee pot in an effort to avoid the question. “It was an all-around confusing day,” he said quietly. “Things seem to be a blur for me.” </p><p>Choosing not to acknowledge his lie, Noct didn’t press him on the matter, simply accepting the cup of coffee. “You should talk to her- she’s still cool.” </p><p>“So it would seem,” Ignis replied, settling into his seat with his own cup of Ebony. It was deep and rich, just as he preferred it, the warm aroma working to wake him up after his long night of sewing. “But I’m afraid I don’t have the means to do so.” Then Ignis thought about what Noct had said and paused, trying to work out how to best bring up his question. “Does she remember you as well?"</p><p>Noct shook his head. “She didn’t even know I was the prince- I knew who she was as soon as I saw her in class, though.” </p><p>“Are you going to remind her?” Ignis wondered aloud, debating if he should just follow the young prince’s lead. “Do you think we should tell her?” </p><p>“What’s the point? It was eight years ago, and she’s here now.” Noct shrugged. “All that matters is that we’re still friends- I don’t see any reason to bring up weird old stuff.” </p><p><em>I do</em>, Ignis thought wistfully. “At least one of us remains friends with our strange playmate,” Ignis replied casually. “I take comfort that you’ve upheld your end of the bargain, at least.” </p><p>Noct just stared at him. “You could hold up yours, you know- it’s not that hard.” </p><p>“Says the man who barely speaks to anyone,” Ignis retorted. “I think it's a great deal harder than you think, Noct.”</p><p>“Not really,” Noct replied, getting up and putting his empty cup in the sink before grabbing the bundle of clothes from the counter. “She likes the way you cook, Iggy,” Noct said in a matter-of-fact tone as he made his way to the front door. “If I were you, I’d start there.” </p><p>The door shut behind the young prince, and Ignis let out a deep sigh as he started to wash the dishes. <em>Start with food,</em> Ignis thought to himself, eyeing the fridge and putting a finger to his lips as he leaned against the sink.<em> Yes… that is something I can do.</em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Happy Birthday</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jenny is getting a party, whether she wants it or not</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Early post! Felt terrible so I needed to spend some time with these guys- enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
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<hr/><p>Soon, to my great surprise, my life began to fall into a comfortable rhythm- living in the Commonwealth made it challenging to do things outside of school, but keeping up with Noct and Prompto via text in the evenings made the time pass comfortably. We’d gotten a routine down- I would help us study, keeping my cadre of wayward boys at the top of their academic game, even when they were much more interested in holding a gaming tournament than preparing for exams, and Noctis would bring us lunch. We started turning it into a game, where Prompto would take a photo of our meal, and Noct would ask how I would rate each dish. The running joke was I had never eaten anything that they had, so they were continually asking how I rated Insomnia cuisine against my unrefined Commonwealth palate. </p><p>Despite my Aunt Sam’s insistence that I could share my secret with them, I hadn’t told the boys where I was really from just yet. Instead, I started calling my aunt for rides, hoping to throw the boys off the scent and discourage them from trying to take me home. I could tell that Noct was starting to get more than a little curious, but Prompto was always respectful of my wishes- I guess him living in the lower-class part of town made him a bit more understanding. Noct would often invite me to his place to hang out with them, but I would always decline- something about seeing how well-off he was in contrast to where I lived just made me feel some kind of way, and I never wanted to be rude to my friend over something neither he nor I could control.</p><p>One lazy Saturday afternoon, I was lounging in my room and studying when I felt my phone go off. Curious, I picked it up, laughing as I saw the message from Noct flash across the screen- <em>We’re throwing you a birthday party at my house- no arguments, Sweets. </em></p><p>Eyes going wide, I looked at my phone in shock before typing a response.</p>
<p></p><div class="msg">
  <p class="speakerMsg">How did you even know when my birthday was? </p>
  <p class="speaker">Noct</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">I’m the prince- it’s not that hard to get info if I need it. <br/>
</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Besides, you told Iggy your birthday was coming up, so I already had a good place to start. </p>
  <p class="speakerMsg">I’m flattered, but you don’t have to do that… really</p>
  <p class="speaker">Noct</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">It wasn’t a request. Don’t make me have to issue a royal decree to make your stuffy ass have some fun</p>
  <p class="speakerMsg">That’s an abuse of power, Noct</p>
  <p class="speaker">Noct</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">I’ll take my chances</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">This is me being polite- do you want next Saturday or Sunday?</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Neither is not an option</p>
</div><p>Looking at my phone, I shook my head. My mom and dad were going to have all my family over for a party on Saturday, but for once, it might be fun to celebrate with people my own age. I was sure Mom and my aunts would understand, but my dad was liable to lose his mind if I canceled on them completely. <em>Maybe I can get away with just a dinner,</em> I thought. <em>But… </em></p>
<p></p><div class="msg">
  <p class="speakerMsg">Would it be okay if I brought my brother?</p>
  <p class="speaker">Noct</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">YOU HAVE A BROTHER?</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">When were you gonna share this?</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">I feel lied to, Sweets</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">But yeah- if it means we can get you out of the house on the weekend, bring him too</p>
</div><p><em>Then let’s do it Saturday,</em> I replied, knowing that Shaun was already available. <em>Where should we meet you guys?</em></p>
<p></p><div class="msg">
  <p class="speaker">Noct</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">We can pick you up, you know- it is your birthday.</p>
  <p class="speakerMsg">Not happening.</p>
  <p class="speaker">Noct</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Hey, I tried.</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Anyway- let’s make a day of it. We can go to the arcade, then back to my house for dinner <br/>
</p>
  <p class="speakerMsg">How is this different from any other day?<br/>
</p>
  <p class="speaker">Noct</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">There’s cake.</p>
  <p class="speakerMsg">You twisted my arm.</p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s2">  </span> </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>“She’s in for Saturday,” Noct replied, looking up at an expectant Ignis. “You sure you just don’t want to, oh I don’t know, <em>talk</em> to her? Cause I’ll be honest, this is a little extreme, Iggy.”</p><p>“This has to be perfect,” Ignis replied, feeling his heart start to race. He’d been planning this for weeks- sending recipe after recipe with Noct, taking notes, and making changes based on what they said she liked and what she didn’t. Ignis couldn’t put his finger on it, but something just told him that he needed to do this-  for him, making sure her birthday went just right was of the utmost importance.</p><p>“Sweets would be happy with a half-crumpled tart that I dropped on the floor,” Noct replied, his attention returned to his phone. “I think you’re making a big deal out of nothing- she’s not that kind of girl.”</p><p>Despite Noctis’s insistence to the contrary, Ignis was lost in his thoughts- he had a week to get the ingredients, plan the menu, clean the apartment…  he felt like the list of chores stretched on forever. “Do you think I should go with the chocolate or the strawberry cake? Your notes say she liked both equally, so I’m unsure which would be more advantageous to prepare.” </p><p>“When it’s my birthday, I hope you put this much effort into my menu,” Noct replied with a tint of good-humor to his tone. When Ignis just gave him a look, Noct sighed. “Strawberry- she said that one was her favorite.”</p><p>“<em>What?</em> That wasn’t in your notes!” Ignis squawked, frantically flipping through the pages of the notebook. “That’s vital information!” </p><p>“Because I knew you’d go overboard if you knew,” the prince replied casually. “And I prefer chocolate, so I was hoping I’d have a chance to sway the odds into my favor.” He paused for a moment, then smiled. “Why not try doing both?”</p><p>Ignis stopped and leaned against the table, thinking about the suggestion and mulling it over. “That… isn’t a bad idea.” Mentally browsing through his repertoire of dishes, the royal advisor closed his eyes, then gave a triumphant smile. “I think I have just the recipe for that.” </p><p>“Why am I not surprised?” Noct said with a grin as Ignis resumed browsing the notebook. “So, now that we know the party’s on, am I off recipe duty for the time being?”</p><p>Ignis tore his eyes away from the book, a horrified look on his face. “By the Six, <em>no!</em> In fact, we have to step this up- we’re going to go through our list, test out the refinements, finalize the menu…”</p><p>“I’m leaving now,” Noct said simply, grabbing his bag and shaking his head at Ignis, who was no longer listening- he was too busy making plans in his head. <br/>
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<hr/><p>“So,” Shaun said as we sat at the noodle stand, “you want me to go with you… to a birthday party?” He slurped his noodles, looking at me with an amused expression on his face. “How did dad take you blowing off the big shindig?” </p><p>“About as well as could be expected,” I replied honestly. I had expected the proposal to go over about as well as a lead balloon, but even that would’ve probably had more airtime. When I brought up my plan, Dad had given me a thunderous look before issuing a clipped-sounding ‘ok’ as he stormed out of the house, slamming the door with such force that the pictures on the wall rattled. “He hasn’t spoken to me all week.” </p><p>“Sounds about right,” Shaun said, taking a swig of his Nuka-Cola. “The man gave me the silent treatment when I moved out, remember?” My brother looked down at his bottle, then let out a sigh. “He means well, he just…” I raised an eyebrow, and Shaun chuckled. “We mean a lot to him, Shadow,” he said quietly. “After how he fucked up with Fahr, I think he’s scared he’s gonna miss something when it comes to us."</p><p>“I don’t want him to be mad at me,” I said quietly, flipping through my textbook and scribbling notes in the margins. “Maybe I should just cancel, tell the guys this was a bad idea-“</p><p>“You’ll do no such thing,” Shaun said sharply, placing his large palm over my book. “It’s your life, Shadow- not his, not mom’s, not mine, and I’m not going to let you keep messing it up out of some misguided sense of duty to someone who’s old enough to know better.” </p><p>“He’s right,” a voice drawled out from behind me, making me whirl around in my seat. “I’d hate to see you sad on one of the happiest days in the Commonwealth, Jenny.” </p><p>“Grandpa Nick!” I exclaimed, racing over and throwing my arms around the neck around the metal detective. Unlike Shaun, no matter how many years had passed, Grandpa Nick still looked the same- the epitome of a 50’s era detective novel, right down to the battered fedora on his head and the grey trench coat he loved so much. His metal skin shone brightly in the setting sun, and his yellow eyes looked over my brother and me as he settled into a seat next to us, resting against the counter in that casual yet practiced way of his. “I missed you,” I exclaimed, leaning against him. “You don’t come around enough.” </p><p>“I could say the same about you,” he teased, ruffling my hair. “Especially since the party of the year seems to be canceled.” His expression didn’t change as I let out a deep sigh, but he took my hand in his and squeezed it gently. “You’re allowed to have your own life, sweetheart. And with the second-best detective in the Commonwealth looking out for you,” he said with a smile, glancing over at my brother, “I think you’ll be just fine to have a little fun on your own for once.” </p><p>I frowned, twisting my hands together. “But Dad-“</p><p>“Will be just fine on his own for the day,” Grandpa Nick said firmly. “There’s quite a few cases around here that I could use his and your mom’s help with, especially since you’re stealing my partner for the day,” he continued with a teasing lilt. “Forget about us for a bit- go have fun, kid.” </p><p>“Don’t worry about it,” Shaun said, collecting the empty food containers to hand them to the server. “I’ve got this covered, Grandpa- Operation Fun is set to go,” he said with a grin, poking me in the side. “And we all know I take my missions very seriously.”  </p><p class="p1">
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<hr/><p>When Ignis woke up on Saturday morning, he felt like his body was on fire as he raced over to Noct’s apartment, holding the bouquet of purple and white flowers so tightly the advisor was afraid he might crush the stems. He frowned at the lack of festiveness to the place, but he decided not to dwell on it- at least it was still clean. Ignis had wanted to decorate, but Noctis and Prompto had turned to him with looks of sheer horror at the suggestion. Prompto had even gone as far as to call it the worst idea he’d ever heard, even beating out Noctis cooking dinner. Considering the prince was positively terrifying in the kitchen, Ignis took a moment and paused, asking if just setting the table properly would be seen as too much. </p><p>Gladio and Iris, Gladio’s little sister, were coming as well- Iris had a crush on Noctis, had ever since they were kids, but the girl was too shy to tell him. But now, after dealing with his plight, the advisor had a newfound sense of sympathy for the girl- for years, Ignis had teased the girl about her crush, but now he felt her nerves all too well as he set the flowers in water. He’d wanted to give Jenny a bouquet, but he felt like that would be too forward- he’d settled on using them as a centerpiece instead, content to get flowers the color of the Chocobo charm she’d given Noctis in exchange for his sweets.</p><p>As he added the finishing touches to one of the dishes she’d rated as ’so good I want to punch you in the throat for taking the last piece,’ he heard Gladio entering the apartment. “Wow,” he remarked, taking in the state of the residence and the arrangement of treats and things on the table, “Is this all for Sweets? Seems like something more fitting a visiting dignitary, not a foul-mouthed little girl who could scare the piss out of a rabid coeurl.” </p><p>Ignis looked at Gladio and frowned, concern marring his face. “Is it too much? Do I need to change something?”</p><p>Gladio just laughed. “Have you ever even been on a date before?” </p><p>Ignis stiffened. “I hardly think-“ </p><p>“That’s a resounding no,” the warrior replied, going into the fridge and grabbing one of the tarts before Ignis could stop him. “Seriously, Specs, you need to calm down- you’re going to give yourself a heart attack.” He leaned against the counter, observing Ignis carefully. “She’s going to love it, trust me.” </p><p>“I just don’t know,” he admitted as he went into the fridge to check on the cake he’d prepared the night before. “It feels so… I just want her to enjoy her birthday,” he finished quietly. “And if she has a good time today, then maybe she’d feel comfortable talking to me.”</p><p>“Hold up,” Gladio said, eyeing Ignis warily. “You mean to tell me you haven’t talked to her since that day?” He gestured around the room, his eyes full of disbelief. “You’re doing all this for a girl you’ve barely even talked to?” He scoffed, shaking his head. “Hell, <em>I’ve</em> talked to her since then- we share training tips every now and again.”</p><p>At that, Ignis dropped the spoon he was holding as his eyebrows shot up into his hairline. “You have her number?<em> How?</em>”</p><p>“Because,” Gladio said curtly, taking another tart and shaking his head, “I asked for it… unlike <em>some</em> people.” <br/>
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<hr/><p>“So,” Prompto asked Shaun as we left the arcade, “what’d ya think? Was that game super cool or what?” He shook his head as he rubbed his hair, staring at my brother in awe. “Still can’t believe you hacked the machine to give us free games- how’d you do that?” </p><p>Shaun gave the blond a casual shrug. “It looked like I could, so I tried it- I love tinkering around with things.” His eyes sparkled deviously, giving me a sly look before turning back to Prompto. You know, if you have your laptop-“ </p><p>“Stop right there,” I retorted, yanking my brother’s arm as he laughed, “you are not screwing with our computers on my birthday, Nerd- I’d like to at least be able to pretend that some of us have home training.”</p><p>“Well, we already know you don’t have any,” Noct teased, poking me in the side and laughing as I tried to hide behind Prompto, who was furiously snapping pictures of all of us. “Your brother wins by default.”</p><p>Shaun just laughed, taking a sweeping bow as we followed Noct to his house. “Glad to be recognized and appreciated,” he drawled, looking as if he belonged on the cover of a magazine. Once again, my brother was putting me to shame- his tanned skin gleamed in the bright afternoon sun, and his curly hair framed his face perfectly, even if the man was in slight need of a haircut. In preparation for our trip, he’d asked Aunt Sam for some clothes and finally convinced her to give him a phone, so he looked as if he’d lived in Insomnia all his life. The dark jeans and tight-fitting black shirt was a perfect choice for the warm afternoon, and I hated the fact that Shaun still looked like he was barely twenty instead of the twenty-five years he was, fitting in with my friends perfectly. “Nice place,” he said quietly, glancing over at me- I hadn’t told him who Noct was just yet. “Are your parents waiting for us?”</p><p>Groaning, I kicked Shaun in the leg, causing Prompto to give me an odd look- my brother was wearing his detective hat, and I knew what he was playing at. “Noct lives alone,” I said quickly, trying to deter Shaun from launching into full-fledged overprotective big brother mode. “First time I’ve been here, actually- there’s a lot less bowing and scraping than I thought there’d be, that’s for sure.” </p><p>Grateful for my deflection, Noct laughed. “That’s only because they figured out the son and daughter of the Mayor were coming over- that’s way more important than some lowly prince,” he said with a smirk, giving me a one-armed hug. “So Shaun,” Noct said in that tone he often used when I knew he was going to do or say something irritating, “where do you guys live, anyway? Is it some top-secret location or something?”</p><p>“I’d have to see if you have clearance to know that kind of information,” Shaun smoothly deflected as we entered the elevator, shooting me a furtive glance that instantly told me that he was going to have words with me when he got a minute. “But, I can tell you that I don’t have the pleasure of living with her anymore- I’m a few towns over now. Good thing too, cause this one snores like a buzzsaw.” </p><p>“I hate you so much,” I grumbled, watching as Noct waved a keycard over a reader. “I don’t know why I even asked you to come today.” </p><p>“Because you couldn’t bear the thought of not spending your birthday with your big brother,” he said teasingly, giving me a loud and wet kiss on the cheek. I frowned at him as I furiously wiped my face, punching him in the arm with all my strength- the blow didn’t even make him flinch, making it look like I’d barely tapped him. “And come off it- you know you love me, Shadow."</p><p>“Shadow?” Noct asked as we ascended the floors, crossing his arms. “How’d you get that nickname, Sweets?” </p><p>“Oh, because she never left Dad’s side,” Shaun said as I rolled my eyes. “If the man left her sight for a minute, she’d bawl her tiny little eyes out until he came back, so he just started taking her everywhere with him… she was his little shadow.” I groaned, but he just grinned even harder. “The name stuck, even if she didn’t.” </p><p>“This is why no one likes you,” I said as the boys in the elevator laughed at me. “Just for that, I’m so telling Nat that you were the one who stole her clothes that day at the swimming hole- I’m sure that’s gonna go over well.” </p><p>“You wouldn’t,” Shaun said, staring straight ahead with his arms crossed. “Cause I distinctly remember a certain little redhead who jammed Dad’s gun taking potshots from the roof- seems like she might’ve had a chunk taken out of her hide if a wonderful older brother didn’t rescue her from an epic beatdown.” </p><p>“Oh I <em>like</em> him,” Noct whispered in my ear. “I need more stories like this in my life.” </p><p>“I take that back- I hate you all,” I said as the elevator opened and we stepped into the hallway. “Remind me why I deal with you guys again?” </p><p>“Because we’re your friends,” Prompto replied, slapping me on the shoulder as he raced down the hall to what I assumed was Noct’s apartment. “And it’s your birthday- enjoy the attention, Sweets!”</p><p>“Whatever,” I said as I stared at my feet, trying my best to hide the smile that was creeping across my face.<br/>
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<hr/><p>“They’re back!” Iris said, rushing back to Gladio’s side. “I heard them talking in the hallway!” Ignis just smiled, watching the short brunette bounce from foot to foot- she had been chattering a mile a minute about seeing Jenny again- apparently, she’d told Iris she’d draw a picture for her, and the young girl fully intended to collect on her prize. “Are we all ready?”</p><p>“Yep,” Gladio said, sweeping his sister into his arms and tossing her onto the couch, making her laugh. “We’re gonna show Sweets an awesome time today, right?” </p><p>“Right!” Iris said enthusiastically, then swiveled her head to the door. “Hi, guys!” She called out, racing to the entrance. “Happy birthday, Sweets!”</p><p>Trying to keep his composure, Ignis adjusted his shirt and his glasses, doing his best to look calm and composed. He’d combed his hair back as best he could, but because he’d been so busy prepping for the party and handling his duties for the crown that he’d completely neglected to get a haircut. Now, the dirty blond strands were long and unruly, sticking up in sheer defiance of the gel he’d slathered it with. His dark purple shirt complimented his dark jeans- he felt naked without his jacket, but Gladio had insisted he look a bit more casual for the occasion. Leaning against the wall, he watched and tried not to stare as Jenny entered the room, wearing a pair of tight-fitting jeans and a deep purple t-shirt that had a Chocobo running across the chest. Her red curls were pulled back except for a few tendrils framing her face, and she was deep in conversation with a tall brunette man as they entered the room, making Ignis frown. <em>Who is that with them,</em> he thought snippily, his green eyes taking in the attractive man that was a bit too close to the girl for his taste. </p><p>Gladio just walked over, nudging him with his elbow. “Looks like you’ve got company, Specs,” he whispered as he headed to the hall to greet the birthday girl. “So, we finally got you over here,” he said to Jenny, wrapping an arm around her and guiding her to the table. “And to think, it only took us throwing you a party to do it- I swear, some people are just so extra.” Jenny wrapped an arm around Gladio’s waist as he placed a kiss on the top of her head. “Happy birthday, Sweets.”</p><p>Ignis forced himself not to say a word as he felt his hands tense up at her ease with the bodyguard- to his dismay, he noticed that the stranger had a similar expression on his face. Taking a deep breath, he decided to take a chance, walking over and tapping her on the shoulder. “Happy birthday, Miss Hancock,” he said huskily as she turned around, trying to control his voice. “I hope this is to your satisfaction.” </p><p>She raised an eyebrow at him, her sharp green eyes taking him in. “I think I’m missing something,” she said carefully, her gaze darting back and forth across his face. “Noct, did you arrange all this?” </p><p>Noct just smiled, walking over to the table and picking up a cookie she’d rated as exceptional. “Nope. This was all Iggy,” he replied, clapping the advisor on the back. “You know I don’t have the skills to do something like this, Sweets.” </p><p>Her eyes went wide as she turned to the table, taking in the buffet Ignis had prepared for her. All her favorite dishes were carefully arranged across the table, with scattered purple and white blooms artfully surrounding the beautiful purple-frosted cake in the center. “He said purple was your favorite color,” Ignis said slowly, hoping to figure out how he could melt into the floor from embarrassment. “I thought you might like it,” he added unhelpfully, trying to stop the words tumbling from his mouth. “If this is unacceptable-“ </p><p>Before Ignis could say another word, Jenny had reached up on her tiptoes, placing a soft kiss on his cheek. “It’s fucking amazing,” she said, staring at him with shining eyes. “And your shirt even matches the decor,” she teased, tugging on his collar. “I think I like this color on you.” Then she looked down at her shirt and let out a bright laugh. “Hey Prompto, come here- me and Iggy match today! You gotta take a picture of this!”</p><p>Prompto nodded, then glanced over at the brunette man, whose face was thunderous. “Um, sure!” His eyes darted back to the man before scurrying over to them. “Say cheese,” he said quickly, and Ignis had to work to stay on his feet when she wrapped an arm around his waist, forcing his hand to rest on her shoulder. “Iggy, stop looking so stiff,” Prompto said firmly, looking up from the camera to chastise him. “You’re going to ruin the picture!”</p><p>“Hey,” Jenny whispered as she tugged on his shirt, causing him to turn and stare at her. “If you ruin my birthday picture, I’m gonna kick your ass, Iggy.” </p><p>“Well we can’t have that,” he replied softly, too entranced by the look on her face to look away. He thought he saw a flash but he paid it no mind- suddenly, he registered Prompto’s voice calling out to them. “Hmm?” Ignis asked, blinking as he turned to look at Prompto again. “Did you say something?” </p><p>“Yeah,” the blond said, a tinge of exasperation in his voice. “I said I got one already, did you want another where you two are actually smiling at the camera?”</p><p>“Course I do,” Jenny said, placing a huge smile on her face. “It’s my birthday- I want all the pictures today!”</p><p>And as he gave a heartfelt smile to the camera, Ignis discovered that for once, he wanted all the pictures, too.<br/>
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<hr/><p>As I turned away from the table and grabbed a miniature sandwich, I felt a hand on my arm. “I need to talk to you,” Shaun said under his breath as he guided me toward the balcony, flashing a charming smile to Noct as he led me past the boys. “Gotta talk to Shadow for a minute,” he said casually, roughly brushing Ignis with his shoulder, making the advisor stumble backward a bit. “We’ll be right back.” </p><p>Noct just nodded, gesturing to the balcony. “We’ll be here, watching everything and waiting for the explosions.” </p><p>Shaun laughed and flipped off the prince as he slid open the glass doors, taking a deep breath as a cool breeze danced over our faces. “So,” he said as he closed the door behind us and put his hands on his hips, turning his back to the others in the room, “you want to fill me in on what the hell is going on here?”</p><p>I gave him a confused look, but my brother pressed on. “You’re hanging out with a prince, Shadow? And what’s with Mr. Beefcake? And why is baby’s first prime minister over there preparing you a banquet?” Shaun ran a hand over his hair as he blew out a deep breath. “Dad is going to <em>murder</em> me,” he moaned, staring up at the sky and balling his hands into fists. “I was the one that told him you coming today was a good idea, and now I’m going to die… that’s just great.” </p><p>I rolled my eyes. “You’re being dramatic,” I replied, resting my palms against the balcony, staring at the men in the apartment doing their best to pretend they weren't listening. “Nothing is going on, Shaun- they’re just cool peeps. And you had no issue at all with Noct and Prompto this morning- what gives?”</p><p>“That was before I knew he was royalty and lived alone in an apartment bigger than mine!” Shaun retorted, his voice slightly raised. From the slight frown that was crossing Ignis’s and Gladio’s faces, I could tell his tone had carried inside. “You’re playing a dangerous game- you keep going like this and you're gonna have to fess up, Shadow.”</p><p>I looked down, fumbling with the hem of my shirt. “I don’t know how to tell them,” I admitted. “It’s not like it’s something you can just blurt out and expect everyone to get over and go back to making dinner plans after you say it- I gotta figure out the right way to do it.” </p><p>Shaun crossed his arms. “Also, what’s with you and the blond?” </p><p>I gave him a confused look. “Who, Prompto?” </p><p>“You know damn well who I mean,” Shaun replied. “Mr. I-just-made-a-feast-for-your-birthday-and-planned-my-wardrobe-to-match back there- Imagine my surprise when I see my baby sister making calf-eyes at a guy who’s easily around my age!”</p><p>“Oh, you mean Iggy,” I said, finally understanding what he meant. “Don’t worry about it- he’s cool. That’s Noct’s advisor- he fixed my uniform for me when I tore my skirt fighting Noct. He was even nice enough to-“</p><p>“I’m going to need you to stop,” Shaun said quickly, holding up a hand in front of me. “I cannot hear about this because I refuse to start a fight on your birthday, Shadow.” </p><p>Just then, the sliding door opened, and Ignis and Gladio were standing in the doorway, their faces twin measures of concern. Shaun and I turned around, and Gladio’s eyes roamed over my brother’s face, taking everything in. “Hey, is everything all right out here, Sweets?” </p><p>“Do I warrant royal protection too?” I joked, hands on my hips. When neither of them relaxed, I shook my head. “Everything’s fine- my brother is just being a dick. Nothing new.” </p><p>“Your <em>brother?</em>” Ignis asked, whirling around to Noctis, who tossed some popcorn in his mouth and shrugged. <em>That motherfucker,</em> I thought with a groan, scratching my nose with my middle finger. “You’re Jenny’s brother?” </p><p>“All day,” he replied, glancing over at me with a confused look. “She didn’t tell you? Funny, Noct and Prompto knew,” Shaun said, leaning back to stare at the dark-haired boy cheekily waving to us from his seat. “Shaun Hancock,” he said, turning back to Gladio and extending his hand. “So, who are you and what-”</p><p>“Oh for fuck’s sake,” I growled, pushing past the cluster of men and storming back inside, where Noct had caught the look on my face and raced behind the couch. “I’m gonna <em>murder</em> you, Noct!” I screamed. Without another word, I grabbed a pillow from the couch, leaping over the back of it and landing onto the prince, walloping him upside the head with the cushion so hard feathers flew out of it. “If you <em>ever</em> pull a stunt like that again, I’m gonna whack you upside the head with a sack of caps, you hear me!”</p><p>Seeing the chaos unfolding in front of them, the men on the balcony raced back inside, where I had the prince trapped under my legs as I pummeled him with the pillow, sending feathers flying everywhere.  Noct held his hands in front of his face as my brother raced behind me, scooping me off the prince as if I were an angry cat. As Gladio helped Noct to his feet, the prince blew a feather out of his face and smirked at me, making me scowl even harder.</p><p>“Why do I keep you around again?” I grumbled as I fixed my shirt and crossed my arms in front of my chest, stomping over to the prince and glaring at him. When I didn’t say anything else, Shaun poked me in the shoulder and I let out a deep sigh. "Sorry I destroyed your pillow, Noct,” I muttered. “I’ll replace it.” </p><p>“Worth it,” Noctis replied, looking over at Ignis with a shit-eating grin as he pulled me in for a hug. “For that little bit of entertainment, I can live without the pillow.” </p><p>“Whatever,” I replied, hugging him back and placing a kiss on his cheek. “Just don’t do it again, asshole.” </p><p>“I make no promises", he replied, pinching my cheek and ruffling my hair. “There are some opportunities that are just too good to pass up, Sweets.” <br/>
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<hr/><p>Ignis didn’t know what to do with himself as the evening wore on. His emotions were ping-ponging all over the place, and every time Prompto or Jenny plucked a feather out of Noct’s hair, he felt a twinge in his gut- the prince had baited him… and everyone knew it. He could still feel the waves of jealousy and the surge of indignation he’d felt when he thought the man was being hostile to her-  the thought of never again feeling a connection like the one they’d shared earlier was almost too much to bear, and Ignis was unsure how to resolve it. </p><p>“Sorry that my sister has crappy impulse control,” Shaun said as he plucked yet another rogue feather from Noct’s shirt. “But,” he said with a grin as Jenny rolled her eyes, “at least it was only a pillow- she’s done worse.” </p><p>“Keep that kind of thing up and I’m gonna have to see about making you a member of the Crownsguard,” Gladio teased, getting up from his seat and giving her a long box. “But after seeing that temper of yours, I’m wondering if I need to rethink this gift, Sweets.” </p><p>“No take-backs,” she said, eyeing the box with glee. “Is this what I think it is?” Gladio shrugged, causing Jenny to rip off the wrapping paper and fling open the box, shouting with delight when she pulled up the light wooden sword. “Oh man, if Iggy hadn’t made all this food for me, you’d be my new favorite person,” she breathed, turning it over in her hands. “But you’re definitely a close second, Gladdy.” </p><p>“It is my house, Sweets,” Noct said dryly. “I should think that’d be worth something around here.”</p><p>“It is,” she agreed. “But he just gave me a <em>sword</em>, Noct!” Her green eyes sparkled at the Shield as she clutched the sword to her chest. “Thank you so much!”</p><p>“Anytime, Sweets,” he said casually, then turned toward Shaun, who was obviously confused but remained politely quiet. “She comes with Noct to his training sessions sometimes- I figure it’s good for him to spar with someone a little closer to his stature. But all I had was daggers, and I wanted to give this one a challenge… and give the prince a fair shot at kicking her ass for a bit.” </p><p>“It’s not like she wins all the time,” Noct replied, elbowing Jenny in the ribs. “She just cheats.” Then his eyes cut over to Iggy for a moment  “I’d like to see her go toe to toe with our strategist over here… see how she handles someone whose job it is to outthink her.” </p><p>“That sounds like a challenge,” Jenny replied, leaning back in her chair and twirling the sword in her hands, careful not to hit her brother with the wooden blade. “Whatcha think, Iggy? Think you could handle me?” </p><p>“Undoubtedly,” Ignis replied without thinking, adjusting his glasses before collecting the dishes from the table. Her brother had raised an eyebrow as he sipped his drink, still carefully watching the exchanges but not offering an opinion one way or the other. “I don’t see much point in coddling you, Miss Hancock- it would do you no favors in battle.” </p><p>“Then you’re on,” she replied, tossing him her phone as he sat back down. “I don’t have your number, so add it in. Let me know when you’re done being all royal and you have some time for me to show you what I got.” </p><p>At that, her brother let out a cough, turning bright red as he choked on his soda, causing Jenny to pound him on the shoulder blades. Ignis paused, glancing at the choking older man for a moment before feeling a kick in his foot under the table. Noctis was glaring at him, then shifted his gaze to the phone. Taking a deep breath while Shaun was busy recovering, Ignis punched in the numbers, hoping that he wasn’t going to be treated to an impromptu sparring match with her brother- he got the feeling the older man would fight just as dirty as his sister did. </p><p>Before the mood could shift, Prompto reached in his pocket, pulling out an envelope. “Mine next!” He tossed it at the redhead, who gave him a look of surprise. “Thought you could use that- kinda nice to have a backup during tournament time.” </p><p>“A code for King’s Knight!” Jenny exclaimed, beaming at the blond and bouncing from her seat, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Iris, think you can help me get up to speed so these boys don’t trounce me?” </p><p>“Sure can,” Iris replied, beaming up at the redhead. “I play sometimes, too.”</p><p>“She’s pretty decent,” Noct admitted, winking at the little girl. “I think she’ll get you up and running in no time.” Then the prince went into his room, grabbing a purple gift bag and tossing at Jenny’s chest. “This is yours,” he said flatly. “Figured I should get you something, too.” </p><p>“Your generosity astounds,” Jenny replied dryly, looking into the bag. As she started to say something else, she let out a gasp and looked up at Noct, who just gave her a shrug. Without saying another word, she got back up from her seat, giving the prince a tight hug. “Thanks,” she whispered, barely loud enough for the others to hear. “That was real sweet of you, Noct.” </p><p>“Whatever,” he said, sitting back down in his chair and grabbing another slice of cake. “I figure with all the help you gave me studying, you deserved at least one nice present today.” </p><p>“What is it?” Shaun asked curiously, peering at the purple bag. “There’s not too much I’ve seen that can make my sister settle down and act like a human.” </p><p>“It’s a purple Chocobo,” Jenny said, picking up the fluffy stuffed bird from the bag. “On my first day, Noct gave me sweets that Iggy made, and I traded him my purple Chocobo phone charm.” She smiled at the prince, who just shrugged. “A few weeks back I told them I wanted to get some Chocobo stuff for my room- I guess he wasn’t asleep the whole time.” </p><p>“I listen sometimes,” Noct replied, finishing his cake. “Happy birthday, Sweets.” </p><p>Noct looked at Ignis while Jenny put the bird back in the bag, but he just gave a slight shake of his head. “I hope you’ve enjoyed your evening, Miss Hancock,” Ignis said, trying to fight his sense of embarrassment. He knew he was garbage at gift-giving, but this experience just made him feel like running home and hiding under the covers. Instead, he chose to start cleaning up, thankful for the chatter taking place around him. </p><p>As Shaun had taken Jenny’s phone and set up her code for the game, the boys settled around the living room while Iris curled up on the couch, napping on Noct’s lap. Jenny was sketching in her book, so Ignis decided to put away the food, packing the desserts into containers for her to take home. The advisor felt somewhat vindicated in the fact that there were very few leftovers to put away- seven people seemed to do a lot more damage than their usual five ever did. </p><p>Lost in his thoughts, he jumped when he felt a small hand wrap around his waist while he was doing the dishes. “Thanks for the food, Iggy,” Jenny whispered. “This was seriously one of the best birthdays ever- I never get to spend them with friends.”</p><p>“Why not?” Ignis asked, curious despite the flush from being so close to her. “You do have a birthday every year,” he teased lightly.</p><p>“That requires having friends,” she said matter-of-factly, sounding so resigned to the sad fact that it made Ignis wince. “First time I’ve had any.” </p><p>“Oh.” Not knowing what to say, he wrapped his arm around her waist, and without thinking, he placed a kiss on the top of her head, letting out a sigh of relief when she leaned into his embrace. “I should think you won’t have to worry about that again, Miss Hancock.” </p><p>“You could call me Jenny,” she said, staring up at him. He was acutely aware of the fact his arm was still around her waist, but if she noticed she didn’t say anything. “By the way, I meant to tell you that I like your hair like this,” she said, reaching up to poke the spiky tips with her fingers. “It makes you look less like a stuffy old man.” </p><p>“I’m only eighteen,” he reminded her, smiling despite the snarky remark. “I’m hardly an old man, Mi- Jenny.”</p><p>“Exactly,” she replied, tapping him on the nose. “Act your age sometimes, Iggy- it looks good on you.” </p><p>“Is that an order?” Ignis asked, his smile growing even larger as the dishwater grew cold beneath his fingertips. “I’d hate to disobey an order on your birthday.” </p><p>“You don’t work for me, so I can’t order you around,” Jenny said lightly. “But I can be curious,” she said, staring intently into his eyes and holding his gaze. “Noct said you had a gift for me? Did I miss it?” </p><p><em>By the six, I should’ve let her beat him,</em> Ignis thought as he closed his eyes, letting out a deep sigh. “It’s nothing, really,” he stammered, feeling his face heat up. “It’s not nearly as thoughtful as the others-“</p><p>“Why are you comparing yourself to them?” Jenny asked, tapping him on the nose again and making his eyes snap open. “It’s the thought that counts- the fact that you even thought about me at all makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.” She let out a soft chuckle. “In fact, I’m the one who feels like the asshole- you did all this for me, and I never even got the chance to thank you for fixing my uniform.”</p><p>“You never have to thank me for something like that,” Ignis said honestly, sadly removing his hand from her waist and walking over to his jacket, where he reached inside and pulled out the perfectly-wrapped package. “I’m sorry,” he said as she started to unwrap it, hoping she wouldn’t be too disappointed with it. “I’m a terrible gift-giver- everyone says so.” </p><p>“Then everyone’s wrong,” she said, staring happily at the shiny purple case. “You got me a sewing kit,” she said, grinning from ear to ear. “You remembered what I said that day.” </p><p>“I remember almost everything,” he replied, looking down and shoving his hands in his pockets, feeling extremely embarrassed. “If you don’t like it, I’d be happy to take it back and get something else.” </p><p>“I sew,” Jenny said quickly. “Or I did... before I lost my only sewing kit- it’s really hard to get things like this back home,” she said quietly, "so I just kind of put it out of my mind for a minute. When I got here, I meant to replace it, but with school and the boys, I haven’t had time to look for a fabric store or get a new one.” She looked up at him, and the smile on her face was breathtaking. “So, with all due respect, you can shut the entire fuck up, Ignis Scientia, because this is absolutely the perfect gift.” </p><p>He blushed, feeling like the kitchen was suddenly an oven. “If you like… I can take you to the fabric store sometime,” he said softly. “I’m going to be busy for a minute, but I’d be happy to do so when I have a free moment.” </p><p>Jenny grinned, then leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “I’d like that a lot, Iggy.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. I know who you really are</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Some revelations and study sessions lead to even more questions</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s2">  </span> </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>Sitting on a bench after finishing a round of sparring with Gladio, Ignis surreptitiously pulled out his phone, hoping for a message from Jenny. When he saw nothing, the advisor couldn’t help but let out a soft sigh, placing the phone back into his pocket- it had been over a week since he'd given her his contact information, but there had been no response whatsoever from the girl. Wiping the sweat from his brow and smoothing his hair back, Ignis frowned- had he been too forward? Was she mad at him? Noctis hadn’t said anything of the sort, but he couldn’t help but wonder why hadn’t she contacted him.</p><p>“Something on your mind, Specs?” Gladio asked, handing Ignis a bottle of water as he sat down next to him. “You seem a bit… distracted.”</p><p>“No… I’m fine,” Ignis lied. “I’m just-“ </p><p>“Not calling Sweets, I know,” Gladio said with a smirk. “Seriously, just call the girl- why is this so hard for you?” </p><p>“She didn’t give me her number,” Ignis replied, gazing over the training grounds as the twilight set in. “After she’d asked for my number, I'd hoped she would have called by now, but…” </p><p>Gladio frowned. “Funny, she did the same thing with me- she got my number, but never contacted me. Gave me a ton of shit about it the next time she saw me, saying that she thought I was going to set a time to train with her. Had to get her number from Noct.” He shook his head, chuckling to himself as he chugged his water. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she barely knows how to use a phone.” </p><p>“That makes me feel slightly better,” Ignis said. “I was under the impression that you asked her for her phone number."</p><p>The burly man shook his head. “Nope. She did the same thing she did to you- she just tossed me her phone and told me to put in my number.” Gladio reached in his pocket, pulling out his phone and sending him a text. “Here- consider it a gift.” </p><p>Ignis got a look of shock on his face, nearly dropping his water. “I-“ </p><p>“Can call her now,” Gladio said simply. “Trust me, I don’t think she’s gonna have an issue with it, Specs. Might even save you getting a punch in the arm- she doesn’t look like it, but she’s one hell of a right hook that she isn’t shy about using.” </p><p>“I have no idea what’s wrong with me,” Ignis replied, saving the number to his contacts and trying to come up with a way to talk with her that wouldn’t sound too eager. “There is no good reason for me to be acting this way.” </p><p>“You like her,” his friend replied, standing up and offering him a hand. “That’s not a crime.” </p><p>Ignis sighed, taking off his glasses to clean them. “I don’t want to mess this up,” he admitted. “I want to do this right.”</p><p>Gladio just smiled. “If it makes you feel any better, I’ve never known you to do anything by half, Specs- I can’t imagine this would be any different.” </p><p>“Do you think I have a chance?” Ignis asked, dreading the answer- he wasn’t as charming as Gladio or as friendly as Prompto, nor did he seem to have the aloof demeanor of the prince that seemed to make girls fall all over themselves to talk with him. “If she’s not interested, I’d hate to be seen as an irritant.”</p><p>“Just talk to her,” Gladio replied as he gathered his things. “I can almost guarantee that it’s not going to be as hard as you think.” </p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s2">  </span> </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>As I was sitting on the balcony of the statehouse and sketching by the light of the setting sun, I heard footsteps approach from behind me. Pausing from my drawing, I looked up and saw my mom, her curly brown and blond hair blowing in the breeze as she made her way over to me. “Not like you to be this quiet, Shadow- what gives?” </p><p>“Hi mom,” I replied, turning back to my sketchbook. “I’m fine... just thinking.” </p><p>"I wondered why I smelled smoke," she teased as she sat on the old creaky swing, kicking her feet up on the railing and rocking back and forth. “I’m proud of you, kiddo- you made it through your first year of high school.”</p><p>“To be fair,” I replied, “I stacked the deck by starting at the end of the year- I didn’t have all that long to worry about.”</p><p>“That makes it even harder,” Mom replied, turning her head to smile at me. “So,” she said casually, folding her hands in her lap as she pretended that a man scuttling on the street below was fascinating. “Got any plans for summer vacation? Gonna hang out with your friends?”</p><p>I sighed, knowing that she wasn't going to let up until she'd gotten the entire truth out of me. “Probably not.” </p><p>Mom frowned, her green eyes full of concern as she gestured for me to come closer. “Why not? Did something happen with you guys?” I scooted next to her and leaned my head on her shoulder, closing my eyes as she stroked my hair. “Talk to me- what’s wrong?” </p><p>“I’m tired of keeping secrets,” I admitted, twirling my pencil nervously between my fingers. “I never feel like I know what I’m doing, and now that school is over, it’s just gonna be too hard to keep up the lies.” I gazed out at the town beneath us, feeling a pang of sadness when I realized I’d rather be in Insomnia with my friends. “I don’t know what to do anymore.”</p><p>“Shaun said that the boys seemed pretty nice,” Mom replied, smoothing a stray curl behind my air. “You know, it probably wouldn’t hurt for you to tell them the truth, Shadow.”</p><p>“But I can’t,” I whispered, feeling my voice quiver. “What if they think I’m a freak, mom? What if they never want to talk to me again? What if-“</p><p>“That’s a lot of ifs,” Mom said with a smile, chucking me gently under my chin. “The way I see it, you’ve got two options- you can get this load off your chest and stop hiding who you are, or you can keep lying and wait for it to blow up spectacularly in your face.” I gaped at her, but she just shrugged. “What?” </p><p>“It’s not that simple,” I protested. “They’re the only friends I have,” I said sadly. “I don’t want to lose them.”</p><p>“And you think they’re gonna feel any better about you lying to them?” Mom replied, giving me that look that usually meant I wasn’t thinking things through. “I mean, telling your dad the truth about where I was from was the hardest thing I ever did, kid- I would have bet everything I owned that he was gonna leave me-“</p><p>I snorted. “Dad would never,” I said, burying my face in her side and wrapping my arms around her waist. “He'd probably shoot anyone who suggested it.” </p><p>“Damn right I would,” Dad replied from behind me, placing a gentle kiss on mom’s cheek before sitting down next to me. “Sunshine and I are partners, full stop.” </p><p>“Didn’t change the fact that I thought you were gonna haul ass across the Commonwealth when I told you I was from another reality,” Mom teased, leaning over my head to kiss Dad. “But here we are, two beautiful kids later, so I’m gonna go with it not being a dealbreaker.”</p><p>“You really think I should tell them?” I asked, looking up at her expectantly before turning to my dad. “Do you think they’ll stick around?” </p><p>Dad looked at mom for a second, then let out a sigh. “Your aunt sent you there,” he said after a moment, twirling my hair around his finger. “And Squeak is a lot of things, but stupid ain’t one of them- if she thought that you running with those <em>boys</em>-“ he spat out the word as if it tasted bad, “was a bad idea, then believe you me, there’s no way you'd be doing it right now- you know how your aunt operates.” Dad turned to look at me, resting a hand on my knee. “But fuck everyone else- what do <em>you</em> think you should do, Shadow?” </p><p> “I don’t like lying,” I whispered, looking at my feet and shuffling them back and forth anxiously. “It makes me feel like shit.” </p><p>“Language,” Mom chided, earning a snort from Dad as she placed a kiss on my forehead. “And good- it should make you feel that way. If they’re your friends, you owe them the truth,” she said firmly. “And if they can’t handle it, then fuck ‘em.”</p><p>“Language,” I replied, laughing softly as I buried my face in Dad’s chest.</p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s2">  </span> </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>Ignis sat on Noct’s sofa, staring at the phone as if it were a puzzle he had yet to solve. For the past few days, he’d been holding out hope that she’d call him first, or that he’d casually run into her. But alas, it was as if the Astrals themselves were against him, for even Noct and Prompto hadn’t seen her outside of school.<em> I’ll call her tomorrow</em>, he thought, putting his phone away. <em>Besides, it’s too late anyway,</em> he reasoned. <em>I don’t want to disturb her</em>. </p><p>As if he could read his mind, Noct just shook his head as he left the bathroom. “You’re being stupid. She’s never gonna call you first- I don’t think she knows how to.” </p><p>“That’s preposterous,” Ignis said, staring at his friend and trying to decide if he was messing with him. “She texts you all the time.”</p><p>“She <em>replies</em> to texts,” he said pointedly, slumping in a nearby chair and pulling out his phone. “She never starts them… see?” He tossed Ignis his phone, and sure enough, Noct had always been the first to start the exchanges. “I suspected it for a while, but when she lit into Gladio about it, I knew for sure.” </p><p>Stunned, Ignis handed him back the phone. “How does she not know how to start a conversation?”</p><p>Noct just shrugged. “Not my business.” He pulled out the red notebook he used to send messages to Lady Lunafreya, scribbling for a moment before setting the book on the table. “I’m hardly one to talk- I have my own secrets. Besides, Luna says to let her be- she’ll talk to us when she’s ready.”</p><p>Ignis just stared at Noct, trying to parse through the new information. Lady Lunafreya was one of Noct’s oldest friends, trapped in the town of Tenebrae. She was also the youngest Oracle in history, able to communicate with the gods- if she said to let it be, then Ignis would be stupid to argue. Finally getting the point where he could form a coherent thought, the advisor just blinked. “Wait a minute,” Ignis said, putting the pieces together in his mind, “you asked Lady Lunafreya about me?” </p><p>“Someone had to,” Noct replied, leaning against the counter. “You were being stupid. Correction- you’re <em>still</em> being stupid. Just call the girl,” the prince said tersely. “Anyway, I’m going to take a shower- lock the door when you leave, ok?”  </p><p>Before Ignis could respond, Noct had left the room, leaving the advisor alone with his thoughts. <em>Call her,</em> he thought to himself, dialing her number with trepidation.<em> I can do this...it's only a phone call, after all.</em></p><p>Jenny picked up on the second ring, her voice so warm and full of surprise that he almost dropped the phone. “Iggy?</p><p>He swallowed, forcing himself to stay on the line instead of hanging it up. “Um… yes. Hello, Miss Hancock- how are you this evening?”</p><p>“I was fine until you started that Miss Hancock shit again,” she said lightly. “What did I tell you about that?”</p><p>Hearing her voice made him smile and absentmindedly run his hands through his hair- even when he’d gotten a haircut, he’d left it a bit longer on purpose. “My mistake,” he replied, feeling overjoyed at the realization that she wasn’t too upset with him for calling. “I seem to have forgotten myself for a moment.” </p><p>“Yeah, well don’t let it happen again,” she said teasingly. “What took you so long to call me, Iggy? You still owe me a match- you scared I’m gonna kick your ass or something?” </p><p>“Not particularly,” Ignis replied, laughing. “Actually, I was wondering if you still required a trip to the fabric store.”</p><p>“Damn right I do,” Jenny said quickly, making Ignis grin from ear to ear. “Gotta wait until after finals, though- if I don’t pass these tests, there’s gonna be hell to pay in this house.”</p><p>The words flew out of his mouth before he could stop them. “I’d be happy to help you study,” Ignis replied, wincing as soon as he said it. “It’s no trouble- I could organize a study session, maybe-“</p><p>“Iggy,” Jenny said with a laugh, “you are the sweetest thing on the planet, you know that? Don’t worry, I got this covered- I got a few study sessions with the boys already lined up, so I’ll be fine. But,” she said, stopping him before he could work himself into a spiral, "we could go after my exams are done, right? I know it’s lame, but-“</p><p>“There’s nothing lame about it,” Ignis replied quickly. “I think that’s a wonderful idea- I’d be happy to do it. It’s a-” he almost said ‘date’, but stopped himself just in time. “It sounds like a plan,” he stammered, blowing out a deep breath. “I look forward to it.” </p><p>“Good,” Jenny chirped, shuffling on the other end of the phone. “But you know, you could join our group chat- you don’t have to be a stranger, Iggy.”</p><p>“I think the number of messages you three send might distract me from my meetings,” Ignis teased. “It seems that every time I look up, the three of you are conversing with each other.” </p><p>"You’re the only one who doesn’t,” Jenny retorted, the pout evident in her voice. “Hell, even Gladio chats with me sometimes. <em>He’s</em> on our group thread,” she said pointedly, making him wince at the implication. “I’m starting to think you just don’t want to talk to me.”</p><p>“Nothing could be further from the truth,” he replied, cringing at how he sounded. “But if it will make you feel better, then I’d be happy to join your chat." </p><p>“It would,” she said seriously. “I like it when you act like one of us, Iggy- less serious you is a lot more fun to be around.” </p><p>“Unfortunately, part of my job is being the responsible one,” Ignis replied. “Someone has to make sure that things get done around here.” </p><p>“I get it,” she said slowly, “but does it always have to be at the expense of what you want to do?”</p><p>“Such are the conditions of the position,” he replied. “But for you, I’ll try to make the most of the time that’s my own.” Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and pressed forward. “However, I may need a little help remembering that.” </p><p>“Then you’ve come to the right place,” Jenny said lightly, making him blush so fiercely that Ignis was glad she couldn’t see him. “I’ll make sure you remember to have fun every once in a while- how’s that sound?”</p><p>“That sounds perfect,” he replied honestly, feeling his heart thump against his chest. “It shall be our personal project.”</p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s2">  </span> </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>That Saturday, I was sitting in my room, sketching the finishing touches on my new design when I got a text from Prompto. </p>
<p></p><div class="msg">
  <p class="speaker">Prompto</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">You need to come save us</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">We’re gonna fail</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">I asked Noct to cancel finals but he said it won’t work that way</p>
</div><p>Laughing, I shook my head, only to be surprised when I saw a new message pop up in the chat.</p>
<p></p><div class="msg">
  <p class="speaker">Ignis</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Ordinarily, I wouldn’t condone this kind of behavior, but the two of them seem hopeless, Jenny. Your help might be appreciated</p>
</div><p>Smiling to myself and chuckling at the fact that Ignis was actually chatting with us, I decided to tease the boys a little.</p>
<p></p><div class="msg">
  <p class="speakerMsg">I don’t know- I’m still mad at Noct for earlier</p>
  <p class="speaker">Noct</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">I won fair and square- don’t get mad at me because I know how to use my sword</p>
  <p class="speakerMsg">That sounds so dirty</p>
  <p class="speaker">Noct</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Only because you’re a perv, Sweets- I saw you checking me out</p>
  <p class="speakerMsg">You fucking wish</p>
  <p class="speaker">Ignis</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Somehow, I don’t think I should be here for this conversation</p>
  <p class="speaker">Prompto</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Me neither- I just wanna pass this test, Sweets</p>
  <p class="speaker">Noct</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Iggy will bake you something if you come</p>
  <p class="speaker">Ignis</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">How did I get involved in this?</p>
  <p class="speaker">Noct</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">So you’re saying you won’t feed Sweets after she comes all this way to help us?</p>
  <p class="speaker">Ignis</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">I didn’t say that!</p>
</div><p>Laughing, I tossed my books into my bag, trying to figure out what would be the appropriate amount of time to wait before showing up at Noct’s apartment. Since I wasn’t doing anything else and I did need to study, hanging out with the boys wouldn’t be the worst thing. However, I had a reputation to uphold, so I decided to fire off a snarky response. </p>
<p></p><div class="msg">
  <p class="speakerMsg">I didn’t say I was coming</p>
  <p class="speaker">Noct</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">So you’re gonna make Iggy slave over a hot stove for no reason? You’re a terrible friend, Sweets</p>
  <p class="speakerMsg">I hate you all</p>
  <p class="speaker">Prompto</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">So you’re coming?</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Please?</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">Pretty please?</p>
  <p class="speakerMsg">Only because you asked so nicely, Prompt. Gimme about 30</p>
  <p class="speaker">Prompto</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">You rock, Sweets</p>
</div><p>Shaking my head, I grabbed my backpack and headed downstairs, only to find Dad and Shaun sitting on the couch, talking. When I came to a stop, Shaun’s curly head swiveled around to look at me. “Isn’t it Saturday? Where are you headed off to?” </p><p>I chuckled, fumbling with the hem of my new shirt. I’d saved up my meager allowance from Aunt Sam to buy it, and I’d been waiting for the day I could wear it. The pale purple shirt had a smiling Chocobo on the front, with the words ‘do not feed’ on the top. What made Noct point out the shirt to me, however, was the fact that ‘do not’ was crossed out, overwritten with a hastily-scrawled ‘please’. Prompto had said this shirt was me in a nutshell and I was inclined to agree, saving every cent I had until I could go back and get it. “Um,” I said, realizing I never really left the house on the weekend. “I’m heading to Noct’s to study.” </p><p>Dad just stared at me. “Since when do you just run off without asking anyone about it, Shadow?” He looked over at Shaun, who looked away guiltily. “And I’m <em>real</em> curious about what makes you think I’m gonna just let my sixteen-year-old daughter hang out at some shithead boy’s house without an adult present?”</p><p>I rolled my eyes. “It’s fine, Dad- Iggy is there. He’s over eighteen- we’ll be fine.” </p><p>Dad’s eyes went wide, then turned to my brother, who suddenly looked extremely interested in his phone. “Shaun,” he said slowly, “Is that the boy who was-“ </p><p>At that, Shaun jumped up from his place on the couch, moving to stand next to me. “No need to worry, Dad,” he said quickly. “I’m free this afternoon- I’ll head over with Shadow so she can get her work done.” He clapped me on the shoulder, an apologetic look on his face. “That bracelet of yours still has enough charge to take us both, right?”</p><p>“Yep,” I replied, narrowing my eyes at him. “But I don’t need a babysitter,” I hissed as he ushered me out the door and onto the streets of the Citadel. “This is all your fault- if you’d just kept your big mouth shut, dad wouldn’t be losing his shit right now and you wouldn’t be stuck here on your day off.” I looked him over and frowned. “Plus, you look like you just rolled out of bed.”</p><p>Shaun raised an eyebrow as I punched in Noct’s address, then looked down at his clothes- he was wearing an old Nuka-World t-shirt and a pair of grey sweatpants- definitely not Insomnia clothing. “Hey, don’t get pissed at me- you’re the one who tried to stroll out the house like you owned the place.” I glared at him, but Shaun just snorted. “What, did you <em>really</em> think Dad was just gonna let you leave without me?” As we walked down the street, a group of women walked by, ogling Shaun as they passed. “Besides,” he said with a grin as he watched his mini fan club make their way down the street, “I kinda like it here, Shadow.”</p><p>“Down boy,” I said, thwacking him on the arm. “I’m here to study, not for you to chase after unsuspecting women.”</p><p>“But they don’t know me,” he teased, lightly yanking on my braid. “No harm in having a little fun of my own, Shadow.”</p><p>“What happened to the little boy Mom and Dad used to tell me about?” I grumbled, swatting his hand away. “You know, the one who was super sweet and innocent and barely caused any trouble? From what I hear, the only thing that used to be on your mind was building things- when did you become such a perv?”</p><p>“I grew up and learned that there was more to life than gun mods,” Shaun said with a laugh as we approached Noct’s apartment. “Besides, learning how to talk to people is part of the job, remember? A detective has to have some people skills, right?” </p><p>“Is that what we’re calling it now?” I asked as the doorman rang Noct’s apartment. “My, aren’t you just full of surprises.” </p><p>“Then maybe you should hang out with me a little more,” Shaun replied as we got inside the elevator. “You might learn a thing or two.” </p><p>“That would require being around you,” I retorted as we stepped off the elevator. “I’m trying to avoid that, thank you very much.” </p><p>“Ooooh,” Shaun cried, stumbling backward out the elevator and clutching his chest in exaggeration. “My sister has cut me deep! How ever will I recover?” </p><p>“You two are dorks,” Noct said as he crossed his arms, grinning at us from the doorway of his apartment. “I thought you were better than that, Shaun.” </p><p>“I’m allowed to have moments,” Shaun replied, turning around and shaking Noct’s hand. “Nice seeing you again, Noct.” </p><p>“Sup,” Noct replied, gesturing for the two of us to enter. “Sorry, I didn’t know you were coming with her today.” We took off our shoes and made our way inside, seeing Ignis and Prompto sitting at the kitchen table. “Good thing Iggy always cooks enough food for an army.” </p><p>“It works out- I haven’t eaten lunch,” Shaun said good-naturedly, heading for the couch and pulling out his phone, no doubt happy to have unfettered access to the device without worrying about being discovered. “Don’t worry about me, Shadow,” he said dismissively, not looking up from the screen. “I’m more than capable of entertaining myself.” </p><p>“Then you could’ve stayed home,” I said pointedly, glaring at him as I slung my bag on the table. “I don’t need a babysitter, Nerd.” </p><p>“Whatever,” Noct said, settling back in his seat. “Sweets, stop picking on your brother so we can get to work."</p><p class="p1">
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<hr/><p>Ignis sat in a chair across from Shaun, content to sneak a glance at the trio every now and again.  They were caught up in their own activities, blissfully unaware of anything going on around them, only stopping to grab food from the tray of snacks Ignis had made for them ever so often. The advisor knew that he was free to leave, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it- every time he considered it, a peal of laughter would ring out from the redhead, rooting him to his seat in anticipation of hearing it again.</p><p>Suddenly, there was a buzz from his phone, which surprised him- Gladio was out with Iris, and the only others that would be contacting him on a Saturday were busy tossing chips at each other. Confused, the advisor picked it up and immediately went pale when the words <em>'I need to talk to you’</em> flashed across the screen. Snapping his head to the man on the couch, Ignis just stared, but the man simply inclined his head back to his phone, his intent unmistakably clear- <em>respond to the message</em>. </p><p>Swallowing, Ignis slowly began moving his fingers over the keys, deciding to go with the most pressing question first. <em>How did you get my number? </em></p><p>When he read the message, Shaun just chuckled. <em>Wasn’t like it was hard- unlike my sister, I actually know how to use a phone.</em> Then the man frowned, typing another message. <em>What’s the deal with you and Jenny?</em></p><p>Ignis wanted to say ’none of your business’, but he realized that antagonizing the young man was probably not the best course of action, so he tried another tactic to see where the conversation would lead. <em>You care a lot about her. </em></p><p><em>Damn right I do- that’s my little sister</em>, Shaun replied. <em>And nice try, but you still didn’t answer my question. I’ve been checking up on you- royal advisor to the prince since you were a kid, servant of the Crownsguard… you’re kind of a big deal around here, Scientia- why bother with Jenny?</em></p><p><em>I’m nothing of the sort,</em> Ignis replied, careful not to do anything that might attract the attention of the others- right now, they hadn’t noticed the conversation taking place between the two men.<em> I only wish to be her friend… that’s all.</em></p><p><em>Only friends my ass</em>, Shaun replied, leaning back against the couch as he shot a quick glance at Ignis. <em>Tell that shit to someone else- I saw you two in the kitchen</em>, he typed. <em>You were two seconds from ramming your tongue down her throat. </em></p><p>Ignis’s eyes went wide with shock. <em> I assure you, that was not the case!</em></p><p><em>Then what is the case,</em> Shaun shot back. <em>I hear a lot about what it isn’t, but you haven’t told me what it is yet, so I’m liable to start drawing my own conclusions. </em></p><p><em>The truth would be impossible for you to understand,</em> Ignis typed without thinking, biting back a curse when he realized what he’d sent.<em> Suffice it to say I’d like to get to know your sister better in order to reconcile what’s in my head to reality. </em></p><p>Shaun paused for a second, then gave him a curious look before returning to his phone. <em>Meet me on the balcony.</em></p><p>The trio was oblivious to their exit as the two men walked outside, with Ignis closing the door behind him. “May I ask what this is about?” Ignis asked politely, watching Shaun’s face carefully for a sign as to what he was thinking. “Have I done something wrong?”</p><p>“It’s my job to know things,” Shaun said quietly, his face looking out over the city below. “And I’ve had to work very hard over the years to read people and understand how they work. Also, my family is super important to me,” the young man said evenly, the tone of his voice giving nothing away.  “I’ve been looking out for my little sister since before she was born, and I damn sure don’t intend to stop now.”</p><p>“While that’s very admirable,” Ignis replied slowly, unsure of what Shaun was trying to get at, “I’m afraid I don’t understand what this has to do with me.”</p><p>“It means I’m about to ask you a strange question,” Shaun said, leaning against the balcony and turning to stare at the advisor. “And if you ever want to see my sister again, I’d advise you not to lie to me when you answer, no matter how odd you think the truth might be.”</p><p>A chill ran down Ignis’s spine at the man's ominous words. “I don’t think-“</p><p>Shaun cut him off. “When did you meet my sister?” </p><p>Ignis's mouth dropped open, thoroughly disarmed by the loaded question. “Is there a reason you’re asking me a question I’m pretty sure you know the answer to?”</p><p>“Yes,” Shaun replied, resting his palms against the railing. “A really good fucking reason, too, so I’d appreciate an honest answer.”</p><p>“That’s a complicated question,” he said, watching the three in the kitchen toss pieces of paper at each other and becoming increasingly aware of the intense stare coming from the man next to him. “I don’t know if I’m comfortable talking about it with you.” </p><p>“Then I suggest you get comfortable,” Shaun replied with a clipped tone, his brown eyes hard and serious, “cause I need an answer before you even think about making another move, Scientia.” </p><p>Ignis sighed, feeling like this was a horrible idea but not seeing any other way out of the conversation. “Almost nine years ago,” he said quietly, looking down at his feet and feeling stupider with every word that left his lips. “I know how it sounds, but I can assure you that I’m telling the truth, Shaun.” </p><p>At that, her brother went quiet, turning away from Ignis to look over the bustle of the people in the streets below. Finally, he let out a deep sigh, hanging his head and resting it against his hands. “I know you are,” he said softly, giving the advisor a sad little smile. “Because I remember the day they made her forget you.” </p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. You had no right</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Shaun and Ignis have a chat over coffee</p>
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<hr/><p>Ignis felt the wind fly out of his chest at Shaun’s words, too stunned to breathe for a second. “I’m not sure I understand,” he wheezed, trying to stay upright. “I think… I think I need…”</p><p>“What we need to do,” Shaun said, his tone much kinder now, “is go out and grab a drink.” Then he paused for a second, looking at the advisor. “But considering you’re only eighteen, maybe we’ll stick to coffee.”When Ignis just nodded, still not trusting himself to speak, the other man put an arm around his shoulder and guided him inside. “C’mon,” Shaun said quietly, “don’t let them see you this rattled, ok? Deep breaths, Specs.” </p><p>Jarred at the use of the nickname, Ignis blinked, making the older man smile. “Specs?"</p><p>“The big guy used it… I thought it was appropriate,” Shaun said with a smile. The three heads at the table snapped up when they heard the door, but Shaun just smiled. “You guys are boring,” he said in a normal tone. “The adults are going out for coffee- can we trust you all not to destroy the place while we’re gone?”</p><p>“Long as you don’t hurt my friend,” Jenny warned, giving Shaun an evil look. “I don’t trust you, Nerd- It’s not like you to be nice all of a sudden."</p><p>Unfazed, her brother just chuckled. “I’m just tired of being the only adult in the room- figured I should get a chance to talk with Specs without the kids around.” </p><p>Jenny frowned. “Since when do you call him Specs?” Then she looked over at Ignis and her frown shifted into an expression of concern. “Iggy,” she said softly, getting up from her seat and coming to a stop in front of him, resting her hands on his face, “are you all right? You don’t look so hot.” </p><p>“I’m fine,” he said, smiling at her casual touch before gently taking her hands in his to remove them. “There’s no need for alarm, I assure you.” She gave him a disbelieving look, which only made him chuckle. “I promise, if I were suffering from a malady, you’d be the first to know.” She gave a small huff in reply, just as Ignis realized he was still holding onto her hands. Slowly, he released her from his grip, giving her an awkward pat on the shoulder as he glanced over at her brother. “I have your number,” he said conspiratorially, making her laugh out loud. “If you don’t hear from me in an hour, feel free to send word to the Crownsguard.” </p><p>Noct just laughed. “Waste of resources, Iggy.”</p><p>“At least I know who my friends are,” Ignis said with a laugh, turning to look at Shaun. The older man was still smiling, but Ignis could still see a trace of the anxiety in his expression- from the look on Jenny’s face, she could see it too. “But enough stalling- the coffee awaits.” He gave a nod to Shaun, who headed toward the door. </p><p>Ignis turned around, but Jenny reached out and grabbed his shoulder. “Don’t let Shaun bully you,” she whispered, closing his eyes at the sensation of her arm on his. “If he’s bothering you, just let me know.”</p><p>“Your brother is fine,” Ignis replied, hoping to put the girl at ease. “We’re just going to go chat outside so we don’t disturb you guys- your studies are important, you know.”</p><p>“Talk to me when you get back,” she said quickly, patting Ignis on his shoulder before shooting one last glance at her brother. "And be nice, Nerd!"</p><p>When Ignis closed the door behind him, he found a quiet Shaun waiting for him in the hallway. “Got any ideas on where we should go?”</p><p>“There’s a coffee shop down the street,” Ignis replied. “It’s not too far.” </p><p>Shaun started to say something, then frowned. “Shit, I don’t have any money on me,” he said with a sheepish grin. “Wasn’t planning on coming here today, so I guess you’re the only one drinking, Specs.”</p><p>“I think a cup of coffee is a small price to pay for some information,” Ignis said slowly, placing his hands in his pockets. “I have to admit, I find myself quite curious about what you meant out there.” </p><p>“The walls have ears,” Shaun replied, gesturing to the door as he made his way to the elevator. “C’mon, I think it’s time we got that cup of coffee.” </p><p class="p1">
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<hr/><p>“Shit,” I spat, turning to Noct and Prompt, who were also listening at the door. “I didn’t hear anything!”</p><p>Prompto shrugged as he made his way back to the table, tapping his pencil rapidly. “Well, there wasn’t any yelling or fighting, so it can’t have been that bad, right?”</p><p>Noct frowned. “But Iggy looked rattled, Prompt- have you ever, in all the time you’ve known him, seen that man look shaken up about anything?”</p><p>The blond shook his head. “The only time he gets out of sorts is when he’s around…” His voice trailed off, and he looked at me guilty before staring down at the table. “Yeah, you’re right- Iggy’s never really rattled.”</p><p>It was now my turn to frown, the textbook in front of me long since forgotten. “What was all that, Prompt? What did I do?”</p><p>“<em>Seriously?</em> Do you need me to spell it out for you?” Noct let out a deep sigh as he flopped onto the couch, draping a hand over his head. “He likes you, Sweets. “</p><p>I turned to the prince, my mouth hanging open in shock. “Who? Prompto?” </p><p>Prompto turned beet red, tossing a pencil at me. “<em>No way!"</em> I scowled and tossed the pencil back at him, making him grin. “You know what I mean! Anyway, it’s Iggy, Sweets- you mean you didn’t know?”</p><p>I shrugged. “I just thought he was being nice- how the fuck was I supposed to know? And besides, why would a guy like that like a girl like me?”</p><p>“No one ever said the man had good taste,” Noct said dryly from his place on the couch. “I mean, you’ve seen the shirts he wears, right?”</p><p>Even though I wanted to hit him with my textbook, I laughed. “I like his shirts, thank you very much- it’s nice to see someone appreciate a color besides black, your highness.”</p><p>“No one said you had any taste either,” Noct said teasingly. “Looks like you’re a perfect match.” When I just let out a huff, Noct laughed. “Sweets, we’re your friends,” he replied, his tone serious for once. “If you had to be stupid over someone, you could definitely do worse than Iggy.”</p><p>“If he really knew me, he wouldn’t like me,” I said morosely, twirling my braid around my finger. “No one does.” </p><p>“That’s not true,” Prompto insisted. "We would… if you let us.” He looked over at Noct, who nodded from his seat on the couch. “We keep trying, but you keep shutting us out, Sweets.” When I sighed, Prompto got up and put his arm around me. “Hey, what’s wrong? Is Noct being too much of a jerk or something? You know he doesn’t really mean all that stuff, right?”</p><p>“I’m… I’m just too weird,” I admitted, staring down at my hands. “I’m scared that if I tell you the whole story, you won’t want to be friends anymore. Not like I’d be surprised- Ignis is prolly gonna hate me after Shaun gets through with him, then you guys will side with Iggy, and I’ll be alone… again.” </p><p>“Did you freak out when you found out I was the prince?” Noct asked, staring up at the ceiling before turning his head to look at me, his blue eyes staring intently at me. When I shook my head, he continued. “Do you know how many people get weird around me when they find that out?”</p><p>I shrugged. “Dunno why,” I mumbled, looking at my hands again and tugging on my shirt. “Just because you’re the prince doesn’t make you any less of a jerk, Noct.” </p><p>“Exactly,” he replied, then frowned. “Wait- I think that got mixed up somewhere.” When I let out a soft chuckle, he grinned and got up from the couch, poking me in the side and making me giggle. “The point is,” he said with an exaggerated frown, “everyone has something that makes them weird. But we’re your friends, Sweets- we like you anyway.”</p><p>“I’ve never had friends before,” I said softly, leaning against Prompto. “And I don’t want to lose you guys.” </p><p>For a moment a look of confusion flashed across Noct’s face, but it was gone before I could even be sure it was there. Instead, the prince gave me a rare smile, then pulled up a chair in front of me. “Well, you do now,” he said, taking my hand in his. “So, now that we’ve gotten all that warm and fuzzy stuff out the way, how about you come clean… enough stalling- it’s time to tell us the truth, Sweets.”<br/>
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<hr/><p>The coffee shop was relatively quiet, so the two men were able to get a table in the back with no issues. Ignis had asked Shaun how he took his coffee, but the man had only smiled and said that anything was fine. Figuring he couldn’t go wrong with a good cup of Ebony, Ignis set the two cups on the table, settling into his seat as Shaun politely took the beverage, closing his eyes and inhaling the aroma of the strong, rich, coffee.  “I haven’t had coffee like this in a long time,” Shaun said quietly, looking appreciatively at his drink. “Our beans don’t grow the same- they’re trying, but we aren’t quite there yet.” He let out a chuckle, then ran his hair through his dark hair. "I’m sure Mom is eagerly awaiting the day they finally get it right.”</p><p>Ignis frowned. “Surely you can just get some brought in… I know the troubles with the Empire have made it difficult, but if Jenny is able to get to school, surely you can get a decent cup of coffee now and again.” He took a sip of his beverage, savoring the flavor as it washed over his tongue. “Sometimes, a decent cup of Ebony is the only thing that gets me through my day.” Then he stared at the man across from him, sitting his drink down and folding his hands. “But somehow, I get the impression you’re talking about more than coffee.”</p><p>Shaun smiled, taking a sip of his drink. “Right again, Specs.” Holding the cup in front of him and closing his eyes, the man smiled. “Has Jenny told you guys where she lives?” </p><p>Ignis shook his head. “I’ve offered to take her home, but she’s always refused- I hope it isn’t that she’s embarrassed,” Ignis said quickly. “Her status is of no concern to any of us- we just enjoy her company.”</p><p>“Some more than others,” Shaun said wryly, making Ignis blush. “But no, she’s not embarrassed- Shadow has never been one to really put too much stock in what others think. For better or worse, her mind has always been her own,” Shaun mused. “She’s always owned her truth, and when she doesn’t, it eats her up inside… like now.” </p><p>Ignis paused. “Is this in relation to the conversation we had earlier?”</p><p>Shaun nodded, then sighed. “You met her when you guys were kids, didn’t you? Played soccer and a bunch of other games, right?”</p><p>“Why… yes… but how…” Ignis was floored- after all this time, here was someone who was talking about what he and Noct had only whispered about amongst themselves. “How did you know that?”</p><p>“Shadow had a rough go of it back home,” Shaun admitted. “Our dad has a condition that makes him look real different from everyone else, and while things have gotten a lot better, people are still right nasty… which also goes for their kids,” he said bitterly. “Jenny took a lot of shit in school for that.” </p><p>“I remember,” Ignis said, thinking of her tiny face as she told them about how she hated mean people. “She told us some of it.”</p><p>“Well, it didn’t get any better as she got older,” Shaun admitted. “Right before she got pulled out of school, some kids were going at her- normal kid stuff, but she’s a soft touch-“</p><p>Ignis snorted. “Are we still talking about the same Miss Hancock that will throw herself into a duel at a moment’s notice?” He smiled to himself as he traced the rim of his cup with his finger. "The words 'soft touch' seems quite at odds with the girl I’ve gotten to know.” </p><p>“She fights <em>because</em> she’s such a softie, Specs,” Shaun said quietly. “Everything gets to her- she just started thinking she could shut ‘em up with her fists first.”  The young man took a sip of his drink, scanning the faces of the patrons in the shop as they went by. “The last one, though…” Shaun ran his hands through his hair, shaking his head. “It was bad, Specs- this time, when they said she had no friends, Shadow got huffy and said that Iggy and Noct were and the kids started laughing- they had no idea you guys were real, so they thought she was just making shit up. Poor kid lost her cool- ended up in a big scuffle at school.”</p><p>“But we were,” Ignis replied. “Eventually, we just let it go, but Noct and I often wondered if we’d ever meet again- we never forgot her.” He took a sip of his drink, then paused, thinking over what Shaun had told him. “Wait… if she remembered us well enough to get into such trouble over it, why is it that she doesn’t remember us now?” The young man looked away, and Ignis narrowed his eyes. “Back at the apartment, you said you remembered the day she forgot us- what did you mean by that?” </p><p>Shaun sighed, sipping his drink. “Exactly what I said. Family meeting got called- my aunt got called in and when my sister begged to go live out here and my dad lost his ever-loving mind. He even tried to forbid my aunt from seeing me and Jenny, but Mom squashed that one real fast.” </p><p>Ignis felt like his brain was spinning in a million different directions. “But she’s here now- why was this such a big deal back then?” </p><p>“Because…” Shaun sighed, putting down his cup and lowering his eyes. “You met my aunt, right? Short lady, dark hair, same eyes as Shadow?” </p><p>Ignis nodded. “She helped Noct and I avoid a run-in with the governess.” He looked around the bar nervously, then back to Shaun. “She said she controlled time,” the advisor whispered. “And I’m inclined to believe her.” </p><p>“Smart man,” Shaun replied, nodding his head. “Aunt Sam is a Watcher, which means that she’s got the ability to see futures. Because of that, she can also move from reality to reality… and apparently, so can Jenny.” As Ignis’ face went slack with shock, Shaun continued. “My aunt… well, I’m not sure why Aunt Sam insisted on Shadow heading over here. One thing’s for sure though- she did it for a reason. There’s no way she would’ve went toe to toe with my dad otherwise.”</p><p>“But <em>why?</em>” Ignis asked, unable to form much in the way of coherent thought. “And why doesn’t Jenny remember us?” </p><p>“Like I said,” Shaun replied, tapping the rim of his cup, “there was a big fight in the house after Shadow got kicked out of class. The kid kept crying about how she hated it in the Commonwealth and how she wanted to be with her friends- no matter what anyone did, she was inconsolable. So,” Shaun said, shrugging his shoulders, “a compromise was made.”</p><p>“What kind of compromise?” Ignis found himself asking, feeling like he was watching a car crash- he wanted to stop, but he couldn’t help himself. “What did your family do to her?”</p><p>“My aunt took her memories,” Shaun said sadly. “She made it so Jenny forgot all about you two, and even about the real reason she got into that big scuffle at school. Mom decided to teach her at home, Dad and the rest of the family agreed to never speak of it, and life went on.” Then the man let out a soft laugh. “That is, until Aunt Sam decided to ask about Shadow going to school out here.”</p><p>“You stole her memories!” Ignis said furiously, his hands balling up into fists. “Your family had<em> no right</em> to do that to her!” </p><p>“<em>Hey,</em>” Shaun said pointedly, glaring at the advisor, “first of all, it wasn’t <em>my</em> idea- I was only nineteen and I had my own shit to deal with! And second of all, <em>fuck you</em>, Specs- you weren’t there. Yes, it was fucked up, but in my family, fucked up is par for the course- if you plan on sticking around, you better get used to that <em>real</em> fast, cause otherwise you aren’t gonna last… trust me.” Shaun took a deep breath and sighed, running his hands through his curls and making the strands stick out at odd angles. “I don’t know what kind of game my aunt is playing, but I can guarantee you and Noct have a part to play in it- there’s no way she’d let you guys meet again otherwise.”</p><p>Ignis sighed, placing his head in his hands. “So what do we do?” </p><p>Shaun shrugged. “Nothing- continue as normal, I guess. You haven’t seen my aunt again, have you?” </p><p>“Not since that day, no,” Ignis said after a moment. “I’ve often wanted to ask her about what happened that day, but I’ve never seen her since.” </p><p>“I wouldn’t rush it,” Shaun replied. “I’m sure if she needs to find you, she will.” </p><p>With that, the two men sat in silence, the advisor still reeling from Shaun’s revelations. When the man didn’t offer any new information, Ignis found himself reflecting on something Shaun had said earlier. “So,” Ignis said carefully, drinking the last of his coffee, “what is the Commonwealth? Is that where you live?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Shaun replied, rubbing his neck and staring at the table. “Our world ain’t as nice as yours by a long shot- there was a war, and everything got destroyed about two centuries ago. We’re the… descendants of the survivors,” Shaun said carefully. “Mom and Dad are working to rebuild things, but it’s slow going- truth be told, I don’t think it’ll ever be the same, but I keep hoping to be pleasantly surprised. But hey,” he said with a laugh, “if anyone can get it done, it’s mom- she’s a regular force to be reckoned with, that’s for sure.”</p><p>“Is your mom like your aunt?” Ignis asked, staring at Shaun in awe. “Are you?” </p><p>Shaun shook his head. “Yes and no. Yeah, Mom’s from another world, but she can’t do what Aunt Sam does. And I’m different, but not in the same way as they are.” He let out a sad laugh, then looked at Ignis. “Told you, our family is fucked up ten ways from Sunday- still want to throw your lot in with my sister?"</p><p>“I do,” Ignis said quickly. He realized he wasn’t sure why he said it, but when the words left his mouth, they felt right. “I’m her friend- I’ll be here as long as she wants me to be.” Then he paused again, mulling over something else. “Do you think she’ll ever remember me?”</p><p>Shaun considered the question for a moment. “Consciously? No. Unconsciously? I think she does,” he said thoughtfully. “It would explain quite a few things- I’ve never seen her take to anyone like this before.” Ignis started to say something else, but Shaun stood up and gave the advisor a smile. “But, I think storytime is over,” he said lightly. “Besides, you’ve got my number- we can continue this chat another day."</p><p>Ignis wanted to protest, but Shaun had a point- they’d been gone for quite some time, and he didn’t want Jenny to worry. “I suppose you’re right,” he said wearily. “And… thank you- it’s… it’s nice to know I’m not crazy,” Ignis admitted as he stood up from the table. “However, I have to admit I’m at a loss- what do we tell your sister?”</p><p>Shaun just smiled. “Don’t worry about that, Specs- I have a plan.”<br/>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s2">  </span> </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>Looking down at my hands, I let out a deep sigh. “So yeah, now you guys know the truth,” I said sadly, feeling my eyes start to water. “One freaky girl from another world who could never make friends.” I glanced up at Noct and Prompto for a moment before staring back at my feet. “Look, I get it if you don’t want me around anymore- I know it’s a lot.”</p><p>Noct just sighed, getting up from his seat at the table. “Wait here,” he instructed, heading into his bedroom. Soon, he came back in the kitchen, tossing a red notebook in front of me. “You see this?”</p><p>I nodded, confused. “It’s a notebook.”</p><p>“Yeah, but that’s not all,” he replied as he flipped through the pages. “Me and Luna don’t talk via text- we use this.” Noct looked at me as I flipped through the pages, careful not to pry into his private thoughts. “I’ve been around magic for a long time, so I don’t care where you’re from or how you got here- all I care about is that you’re my friend,” he said firmly. “So you don’t get to run off and leave, ok? Friends stick around, right Prompt?” </p><p>“Sure do,” Prompto said, looking as serious as I’d ever seen him before leaning over and giving me a big hug. “Thanks for telling us,” he whispered. “We’re still your friends, Sweets- nothing changes.”</p><p>Just then, the door opened and we jumped, making us look guilty as sin. “Hey,” I said, wiping my eyes and trying to smile at my brother. “Did you guys have a good chat?” I turned to look at Ignis, who no longer looked like he was going to pass out at any given moment. “He didn’t bother you too much, did he?”</p><p>“If you mean did I ask Specs why he wants to hang out with the freaky little girl from another world, then yeah,” Shaun said with a devilish grin. Instantly, my mouth dropped and I whirled to look at Ignis, who was staring at my brother with shock. “What? I told you I’d handle it,” he said innocently. “I just never said how.”</p><p>“But-“ Ignis stammered, looking furtively at Noct and Prompto, “what about-“ </p><p>“You’re late, Iggy,” Noct said casually. “Sweets likes us better than you- she already told us.” He looked at me and shrugged. “I was hoping for something more interesting- the story was kind of a letdown, honestly.” He walked back to the table and collected his notebook, shoulder-checking me as he went past. “Guess that’s what I get for thinking everyone’s as interesting as we are.” <br/>
 <br/>
“What if I hadn’t told everyone,” I hissed, grabbing my brother by the arm as Ignis headed into the kitchen to start the dishes. “That would’ve been awkward as hell, Shaun! And where do you get off telling Iggy about me? That was my story to tell!”</p><p>“Actually, I was hoping you hadn’t told them yet,” Shaun said with a grin. “Too bad you decided to fess up- I was kinda looking forward to making you squirm.” When I let out a huff, he leaned over and ruffled my hair. “He’s still your friend,” he whispered. “Looks like you got a crew now, Shadow- look out for ‘em, ok?”</p><p>“I hate you,” I said, throwing my arms around his neck. “Remind me to shoot you when we get home.”</p><p>“You could try,” Shaun replied, hugging me tightly. “But I think Mom might murder you first.”  </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. It has to be perfect</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ignis and Jenny look for the perfect gift</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s2">  </span> </em>
</p><hr/><p>As much I wanted to murder Shaun for spilling my secret, I had to admit that life was much easier now that I didn’t have to hide everything from everyone. This turned out to be a good thing, as the summer was ending, which meant Noct’s birthday was rapidly approaching, and I had no idea what to get him.<em> What do you get a prince</em>, I thought as I flopped on the ground, letting out a groan. <em>Leave it to Noct to make a birthday stressful. </em></p><p>Since Ignis and Noct had gotten extremely busy with royal duties, Prompto and I tended to spend our days hanging around the Citadel. Once he learned how actually hopeless I was about anything in Eos, the blonde had taken it upon himself to be my pop culture tutor, showing me all the movies, comics, and video games I could handle and making the summer fly by in what felt like an instant. This was great, as I didn’t have time to dwell on whatever was going on with me and Ignis, but it also meant that I’d whittled the summer away without a single thought as to what I was going to do for Noct’s birthday.</p><p>“Honestly,” Prompto said as he laid next to me in the park, “Noct doesn’t really celebrate his birthday, Sweets.”</p><p>“Huh?” I asked sitting up on my elbows. “But he said-“</p><p>“He was messing with Iggy,” Prompto replied, closing his eyes and soaking up the sun. “He usually goes to the palace to spend the day with his dad, and I guess Iggy is around, but he’s always around, so it’s really not that much different from any other day.”</p><p>“Well, I still want to do something nice for him,” I said firmly, settling back down on the grass. “It’s the right thing to do.” I paused for a minute, then brightened. “I’ll ask Iggy- maybe he’ll have an idea.” </p><p>Prompto opened an eye. “You know, you don’t need a reason to call Iggy, Sweets- he’s always happy to hear from you.” </p><p>“I always feel bad,” I admitted. “He’s so busy all the time, and I don’t ever really want anything- it seems wrong."</p><p>“Is that a Commonwealth thing?” Prompto asked quietly, looking around to make sure no one else was around. “Cause here, we just send a message- we get back to it when we can, so we never really see it as bothering anyone.” </p><p>I frowned. “But Shaun said it was rude not to reply to a message.”</p><p>The blond just laughed. “Well yeah, if you never do it. But it’s ok to wait and respond when you get a chance.” He gestured to my pocket, then placed his arms beneath his head. “Send him a message about what to get Noct- he’ll answer you when he can.”</p><p>“You sure I won’t get him in trouble?” I asked, reaching hesitantly for my phone. When Prompto gave me a soft huff, I laughed. “Fine,” I replied, my fingers moving over the keys.  “But if I get yelled at, I’m blaming you.”</p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s2">  </span> </em>
</p><hr/><p>As Ignis was exiting his meeting, he felt his phone start to buzz. He picked it up without thinking, his eyes widening with surprise when he saw the message on the screen.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="msg">
  <p class="speaker">Jenny</p>
  <p class="otherMsg">I hope I’m not bothering you, but I was wondering if I could get your help with something. Call me back when you get a chance, but no rush- I know you’re busy. </p>
</div><p>Walking down the hall, Ignis fought back a smile. He and Jenny rarely sent texts to each other, so seeing a message from her was rare. Jenny was the one person that would always pick up the phone whenever he called, and that pleased Ignis to no end. Every time he heard her voice on the other end of the line, he’d just stop and grin like an idiot, which made him immensely happy he was usually alone whenever they talked. Lately, the meetings had grown longer and longer, and since he refused to call her at a late hour, their conversations had grown few and far between. <em>I need to do better</em>, he thought as he dialed her number. <em>She told you to remember to be a person- did you really forget that quickly?</em></p><p>She picked up on the second ring, making him almost forget himself. “It’s wonderful to hear from you,” Ignis said warmly, picturing her face in his mind. It had been a while since he’d seen her, and he missed that teasing smile of hers. "How can I help?”</p><p>“Iggy!” Jenny exclaimed, making his heart stutter. “I didn’t think you’d be available- I didn’t get you in trouble or anything, did I?” Before he could say a word, he heard her cover the phone. “I told you I shouldn’t have bothered him, Prompt!” </p><p>“Jenny,” Ignis said, laughing, “it was no trouble- I just finished with my meetings.” Then he replayed what she just said, halting mid-stride. “You’re here?” </p><p>“Yep,” she replied. “I’m stuck trying to figure out what to do for Noct’s birthday- Prompt said you’d be the best person to ask, so I’m asking,” she said with a laugh. “I have no idea what to get him.”</p><p>“Prompto is right, I am the best person to ask,” Ignis replied, chuckling. “But I can assure you, he’d be fine with whatever you wanted to give him, Jenny- there’s no need to stress.” </p><p>“Ugh!” Jenny huffed, and Ignis could just see her crossing her arms and pouting, her bottom lip jutting out in that way he found adorable. “That’s not helpful, Iggy.”</p><p>“Then what would be helpful?” Ignis asked, leaning against the wall. “Tell me what you need and I’ll do it.” </p><p>“Help me find something!” Jenny replied, making him smile. “I don’t have much time, Iggy- he was so nice to me for my birthday, and I want to do the same for him.” </p><p>Feeling a rare burst of impulsivity, Ignis took a deep breath. “I’m free for the rest of the afternoon,” he said quickly. “If you want, we can go look around for what you feel is an appropriate gift. How does that sound?” </p><p>“Seriously? You’d do that for me?” He heard muffled noises for a moment, then Jenny returned to the line. “Prompt said he has to go home soon, so if you’re sure you don’t mind…”</p><p>“It would be my pleasure,” Ignis replied, stopping her before she could continue along her current line of thought. “Just tell me where to meet you, and I’ll be there.” </p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s2">  </span> </em>
</p><hr/><p>Just as I was in the arcade clearing a level with Prompto, I heard a throat clear from behind me. “Shall I come back at a later time?” </p><p>Whirling around, I dropped my gun and threw my arms around the advisor’s neck. “Iggy! Thank god you’re here!” Realizing that I’d just invaded every inch of his personal space, I untangled myself and took a step back, feeling my face go red. “Seriously, thanks for coming- Prompt over here was no help at all.”</p><p>Prompto didn’t even turn around. “I told her Noct won’t care, but she won’t listen to me. Maybe she’ll listen when it comes from you.” </p><p>Ignis smiled good-naturedly, adjusting the sleeves of his crisp white dress shirt. “Doubtful,” he replied, laughing as I scowled at him. “But I’m happy to offer my services anyway.”</p><p>I reached out and touched the starched white collar of his shirt. “It looks like I have Ignis the advisor today,” I said as I ran my fingers over the stiff corners. “Too bad- I like Iggy better.” Looking up at his slicked-down hair, I laughed. “I even miss that hair of yours.” </p><p>“You caught me as soon as I was leaving,” he replied, smiling at me in a way that made my heart beat a little faster. “I figured Ignis the advisor was better than a late Iggy, seeing as you seemed so desperate to find the perfect gift.”</p><p>“Shouldn’t you two be leaving now?” Prompt asked, still focused on the screen. “I don’t think you’re gonna find what you’re looking for yakking in my ear while I try to finish this level, Sweets.”</p><p>“True,” I agreed, laughing and trying to calm myself down. Standing up straight, I offered Ignis my elbow. “So, you ready to get this hunt started? How much time do we have today?” </p><p>Ignis laced his arm in mine and led me toward the door. “I’m all yours, Jenny- there’s nowhere else I’d rather be today.”</p><p>Laughing nervously, I absentmindedly twirled my braid around my fingers. “You say that now- see how you feel after you spend a full day shopping with me.” </p><p>“I doubt I’ll change my mind,” he replied as we stepped outside into the sunshine. “I don’t think we’ve gotten the chance to just hang out together before.”</p><p>“Well you’ve talked to me on the phone- doesn’t that count?” I frowned slightly, feeling like trash as I watched the well-dressed people all around me. “God, I look like crap compared to you,” I muttered, shoving my hands in the pockets of my paint-covered jean shorts. “They’re gonna think I’m some dirty little orphan begging you for change or something.”</p><p>“Nonsense,” Ignis replied, taking my arm as we headed toward the shopping district. “If anything, they’re going to wonder how a stuffy servant of the crown has managed to get such a beautiful artist on his arm for the afternoon.” Leaning toward me, he shifted my hair to whisper in my ear. “And I’m inclined to agree with them.”</p><p>“Flatterer,” I said as we stopped in front of a pastry shop. Turning to the glass, I bent down, staring lovingly at a fruit-covered tart in the display case. “Man,” I remarked, feeling my mouth start to water, “that thing looks delicious.” Shifting my head, I smiled at Ignis. “Think you could make something like that?”</p><p>“I do believe I could,” Ignis replied, helping me to my feet. “Let us go and get some- I have to try it at least once in order to know what’s inside, after all.”</p><p>I started to agree, but my meager allowance of caps made me conclude that dessert wasn’t in my budget- sadly, I shook my head. “I’m gonna have to pass- my funds are limited.” I let out a lighthearted laugh, then shuffled my feet. “When the shops in Insomnia decide to take caps, I’m gonna buy the block, promise.”</p><p>Ignis smiled. “Is that what you guys use at home?”</p><p>I nodded. “Not as fancy as your money, but it works.” Reaching in my pocket, I pulled out a handful of caps to show him. “In Goodneighbor, this would be more than enough for that pastry- oh well.”</p><p>Before I could close my palm, Ignis had reached over and grabbed the caps out of my hand, placing them in his pocket. “Then we’re even,” he replied, pulling me into the store. “Now when I come to visit you, I have enough to buy my own snacks.” </p><p>And as the advisor made his way to the counter and ordered two treats, I found myself grinning at the thought of walking through my town with Ignis on my arm.</p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s2">  </span> </em>
</p><hr/><p>Ignis didn’t know what he’d done to deserve such a perfect day, but he had no intention of questioning it.</p><p>As Jenny bounced from store to store in search of what she deemed to be the perfect gift, Ignis couldn’t seem to remove the smile from his face. She’d been positively exuberant that afternoon as they explored the shops, and he found himself enraptured with her tales about her life back home. After searching for hours and finding nothing, they’d decided to take a break at the park, sitting on one of the benches as she pulled out her sketchbook, showing him pictures of her life back home. He’d never seen such things before- the very air seemed different there, almost as if there was a curtain over the world. “This is amazing,” Ignis said softly, touching a picture of a scarred man caressing the cheek of a tanned woman with curly brown and blond hair. “Who are they?”</p><p>“My mom and dad,” Jenny said with a smile. “Believe it or not, I look more like my dad, but you wouldn’t know it to look at him.” </p><p>“What happened to him?” Ignis asked, careful to keep his tone even- he knew from past stories how protective Jenny was of her family. “Was there an accident?”</p><p>“Not sure,” she said, brushing her hair behind her ear and settling in closer to him. “He’s always been like that as long as I’ve known him.” Jenny paused, and Ignis wrapped a hand around her shoulders, offering silent reassurance by threading his hand in hers. “There’s a lot of people who look like Dad back home,” she whispered, tapping a finger on the drawing. “Back in the war, they got hit with a bunch of radiation and it changed them… people call them ghouls.”</p><p>From the shift in her tone, Ignis could tell this was a sensitive topic for her- not wanting to pressure her, he tried to change the subject. “They look happy,” he said quietly. “You have your mother’s eyes,” he said, leaning forward and tapping the picture. “I guess they caught your father’s attention, too.”</p><p>Jenny just smiled sadly. “Do you know my mom never saw what my dad used to look like?” She craned her neck to look at him, her face so close to his that he had to struggle against the urge to kiss her. “Mom said loved Dad from the first day they met- never did give a shit what he looked like, even though everyone else did.” The corners of her mouth turned into a frown, and Ignis held her even tighter as she closed her eyes. “A lot of people were really nasty to her because of it… and to me. I don’t get it,” Jenny said angrily. “How can people be nasty to folks over something they can’t control?”</p><p>“I’m afraid that happens everywhere,” Ignis replied, rubbing her shoulders. “But you can take comfort that there are still people out there like you and your mom who see people for who they are. And that,” he said firmly, tilting her face to his, “is an admirable quality, Jenny Hancock, so don’t ever change."</p><p>“When did you get so wise?” Jenny asked, staring up at him. “You’re only eighteen, but you’re one of the smartest people I know, Iggy.” She brought a slender hand to his cheek, making him close his eyes and rest his hand on hers at her touch. “What’s your deal, Ignis Scientia?”</p><p>Ignis smiled, leaning into her touch. “I could ask you the same, Jenny Hancock.” He heard her laugh and felt her fingertips slide away from his cheek, the sensation of her skin moving against his making him sigh. “I wish I knew,” he admitted. “I thought I did… before I met you.”</p><p>Jenny laughed, resting her hand on his leg. “And how did I destroy your world view, Iggy?” </p><p>“Because you’re a force of nature,” he replied with a laugh. “I… I like order,” Ignis said slowly, carefully feeling his way through the words. “I like certainty. I like examining problems from all angles and finding solutions. I’m the responsible one- I’m the one who’s supposed to take care of Noctis. That’s been my job since I was three years old, and I was happy to do it- nothing else mattered to me.” </p><p>“And now?” Jenny asked quietly, her form still as she leaned against him. “What’s changed?”</p><p>“For the first time, I feel like there like there might be more to life than my work… and it scares me,” he admitted, feeling a deep sense of shame at the words. Even giving voice to such a thing felt like a betrayal, but no matter how badly he felt, Ignis couldn’t lie to her. “I want something for myself."</p><p>“What do you want?” Jenny whispered, her voice almost too soft for Ignis to hear. He started to confess, but before Ignis could answer, a loud rumble emerged from Jenny’s stomach, making the two of them jump apart. <em>“Fuck!</em>” Jenny spat, going red with embarrassment. “I’m so sorry!”</p><p>Without thinking, Ignis let out a laugh. “Nothing to apologize for, Jenny- it appears that we’ve just lost track of time. One supposes that a tart, no matter how delicious, does not a dinner make.” Standing up from the bench, Ignis offered Jenny his hand. “Would you like to have dinner with me, Jenny?”</p><p>She started to say something, but then her eyes went wide. “Say,” Jenny said slowly, looking around the park, “how adventurous are you feeling, Iggy?”</p><p>“As a general rule? Not very,” Ignis replied. “But tonight… with you? I’d say I’m more willing to indulge my long-dormant sense of adventure.” He tried to get a clue as to what was going through her mind, but her face gave nothing away. “What’s on your mind?”</p><p>“Do you trust me?” Jenny asked, taking his hand in hers, her eyes expectantly searching his face. “If I wanted to do something crazy, would you do it with me?”</p><p>“Is it illegal?” Ignis asked quickly. He didn’t think she’d get him into something that would get him in trouble with the crown, but he had to be sure- no matter what he felt, his duties still came first. When she shook her head, Ignis thought about it for a moment, then shrugged- <em>I’m not that old,</em> Ignis thought. <em>Time to live a little. </em></p><p>Taking a deep breath, Ignis looked at Jenny and smiled. “Like I said,” he replied as he squeezed her hand, “I’m yours for the day. And, I trust you,” he said firmly, no hesitation whatsoever in his voice. “Lead the way, Jenny.”</p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s2">  </span> </em>
</p><hr/><p>Dragging Ignis behind me to the door of the nearest store, I checked my cuff and took a deep breath. “Okay,” I said quickly, “I need you to close your eyes, Iggy. And no matter what, don’t let go of my hand, ok?”</p><p>Lacing his fingers in mine, Ignis smiled. “I think I can handle that.”</p><p>“Cool.” I blew out a deep breath, opening the door to the shop. “Here goes- close your eyes.” Ignis did as he was told, and I guided us through the doorway. Instantly, I could feel the warm summer day change to the dry air of Diamond City, and slowly, the noise of the bustling settlement began to swell around us. “Open your eyes, Iggy- we’re here.”</p><p>His eyes opened, then almost bulged out of his head. “By the six,” he breathed, his head whipping to and fro with what I hoped was amazement and not terror. “What… where are we?”</p><p>“The Commonwealth,” I said shyly, tucking a hair behind my ear, noticing that he was clutching my hand as if it were a lifeline. “Diamond City, to be exact. Figured I could treat you to dinner tonight.”<br/>When he didn’t respond, I took a tentative step forward, hoping he’d follow me and sighing with relief when I felt him follow. “Iggy, are you ok?”</p><p>“I… I don’t know,” he replied honestly, running his free hand over his hair and making the formerly neat strands stick out in random ways. “You do this sort of thing every day?”</p><p>“Well, yeah,” I said, guiding us over to Power Noodles, the noodle stand in the center of the market. “Not like I can just catch a cab and say, ‘Eos please, and avoid the side streets’- gotta get to school somehow, right?”</p><p>“And you live here?” Ignis asked, his eyes roaming around to take in the sights of the settlement. “We’re in your town?"</p><p>“Nah, we’re in the bigger city,” I replied. “I live a few towns over. Just like the Citadel, people were milling around everywhere, but unlike the Citadel, that haze clung to everything, clouding the world in what felt like film. Realizing that Ignis wasn’t used to the atmosphere, I reached in my bag, pulling out two tablets of Rad-X and a bottle of water. “Here, take these- you’ll need it.” </p><p>Taking the bottle, Ignis popped the pills in his mouth and chugged the water, staring at everything with shock. “I’m… I’m in another world,” he said to himself. Then he turned to me, blinking rapidly. “I’m not dreaming, am I?” </p><p>“Trust me,” I said, guiding him to one of the worn stools. “If you were, I’m sure you could come up with something better than following me to Diamond City.” Takahashi, the robot who managed the stand came up to us, and I smiled, even though the gesture was lost on the metal vendor. “Two ramens, please.” </p><p>"Nani ni Shimasuka,” the robot replied, lumbering away and leaving a stunned Ignis to sit on the stool. The poor advisor was still clutching my hand, and I frowned. “If this is too much, I can take you back,” I whispered. “I wasn’t trying to freak you out, Iggy.” </p><p>Ignis blinked, looking at me like it was the first time he’d heard me speak. “What? Why would you do that?” He looked around, his eyes still wide as saucers. “I… I just can’t believe it. Me,” he said with a laugh, staring at the bowls of ramen Takahashi had set down in front of us, “in another world, about to have… dinner!” He laughed, loud and bright as he shook his head and picked up his chopsticks, gathering the noodles into his mouth. “It’s good,” he said, sounding surprised. “I was expecting something similar to Cup Noodles… I’m happy to be mistaken.” </p><p>Handing the caps to the robot, I smiled. “Yeah, it’s pretty decent- figured I’d treat you to something cool for your only time coming to another world.” </p><p>Ignis paused in the middle of slurping his noodles most unexpectedly. “Only?” His tone was full of surprise and disappointment. “You mean I’m never coming back here?” </p><p>“Well, I didn’t think you’d want to,” I explained, grabbing my bowl and starting to eat. “I know it’s nothing like the Citadel, so I understand if you want to run like hell to get back home.” </p><p>“Why would I want to that? I’m here with you,” he said firmly, taking my hand in his again. “And like I said, I trust you.” Looking around again, Ignis gave a barking laugh. “Ramen in another world!” he said excitedly as he took another bite. “I just can’t believe it!” </p><p>“Chill, dude- it’s just ramen,” I teased, squeezing his hand, laughing at his utter joy as we ate our dinner. “Thanks,” I said quietly, marveling at the fact that not only had this man willing crossed through worlds with me but that he also looked like he was enjoying himself. “You being here means a lot to me- I’ve never hung out here with a friend before.” </p><p>“It’s my pleasure,” he replied, smiling at me. “Besides,” he teased, “I think the others will be pleased as well- this trip has allowed me to come up with a new recipe.” </p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s2">  </span> </em>
</p><hr/><p>Shaun felt like he was going cross-eyed from the amount of paperwork his grandfather had left him. It was dinnertime, but he hadn’t had a chance to take a break yet. For the umpteenth time, the young man wished that everyone could use a phone- Shaun thought he'd die of happiness if he could just call someone to bring him something to eat. </p><p>While he was busy bemoaning his state, there was a soft rap on the door, and he let out a deep sigh- the last thing he wanted was to take on a new case, but he knew he’d never turn anyone away who needed help. “Come in,” he said wearily, forcing himself to plaster on a cheery-looking smile. </p><p>“You look like shit,” came the husky voice from the doorway. “Coming up for air wouldn’t be the worst thing, Shaun- I promise, the paperwork will still be there in the morning.” </p><p>He smiled, running his fingers through his hair and looking at the brunette leaning casually against the doorframe. “To what do I owe the pleasure of the great Nat Wright stepping into my office?” Getting up from his seat, he stepped around his desk and sat on top of it, taking in the sight of the reporter staring back at him. “Is there a story you need help with, or is there…” he gave her a seductive look, his eyes roaming down her figure before returning to her face, “… something else you wanted to talk to me about?” </p><p>“Pig,” Nat huffed. The reporter rolled her eyes, but there was no heat behind it- she and Shaun had been playing this game for years. The two of them had taken more than a few tumbles in the sheets, but it had never lead anywhere-  in the end, they’d decided they were better off as friends, but it never stopped their harmless flirtation… or hookups when nights were lonely and long. “I know you wish everything was about you, but I’m here with information for you… figured you’d want to hear it from me and not someone else.”</p><p>“Want to sit on my lap and whisper it to me?” Shaun teased, patting his leg and giving Nat an innocent smile. “Only way to be sure no one’s listening, after all.” </p><p>She scoffed, but even in the low light, Shaun could see the flush in her cheeks as she stepped forward. “Keep that up and I won’t tell you a thing, Shaun.”</p><p>He raised his eyebrows, watching the woman in front of him closely. “Hmmm… this must be big- if it weren't, you would’ve walked out on me by now.” He settled into his business persona, a mask of professionalism falling over his boyish features. “What’s on your mind, Nat?”</p><p>Nat sighed, staring at him with those rich brown eyes of hers. “It’s about Shadow, Shaun.” </p><p>Instantly, all the playfulness left his tone and Shaun shot up from the desk, bringing himself up to his full height and staring down at the woman in front of him. “What have you heard, Nat?”</p><p>“It’s not what I’ve heard,” she said carefully. “It’s what I’ve <em>seen</em>.” Shaun went silent, waiting for her to continue, and Nat sighed. “She’s at Power Noodles… with some guy.” The reporter frowned, crossing her arms. “I’ve never seen him before… and you know I know everyone in town. Figured I should tell you or Nick about it… just in case something’s wrong.”</p><p>“Appreciated,” Shaun said firmly, walking over to his drawer and getting out his pistol. Normally, he didn’t bother with his gun in town, but this was a different story- it wasn’t like Jenny to come to town and not contact him, let alone talk to anyone she met here. Checking the clip and putting the gun in his holster, Shaun slammed the drawer shut and stalked out the office, Nat hot on his heels. “Thanks for the tip- I got this.”</p><p>Nat followed him out of the office, struggling to keep pace with him. “Is that really necessary, Shaun.” </p><p>“It might be,” he said in a clipped tone, his eyes widening as he rounded the corner and saw a tall man blond man in dress clothes on a stool in front of Jenny, his hand clutching hers tightly. “Stay back,” he hissed to Nat, creeping up to the man and clamping his hand on his shoulders. “You’ve got two seconds to convince me why I shouldn’t take out you right now,” Shaun said calmly before looking to his sister. “You alright, Shadow?”</p><p>“SHAUN!” Jenny yelped, sending her bowl of noodles flying across the counter as she shot up from her seat. “What the fuck are you doing?”</p><p>Faster than humanly possible, Shaun withdrew his hand and the man turned around, his eyes wide with terror and his face pale as a sheet as he stared at the gun strapped to Shaun’s hip. “Ignis?” Shaun asked, his face scrunched up in confusion. “Is that you?"</p><p>Swallowing, the advisor nodded, working to regain his composure. “It.. it is,” he said shakily, his eyes darting between the gun on Shaun’s hip and Jenny. Adjusting his glasses, he took a deep breath, extending his hand. “It’s a pleasure to see you again, Shaun.”</p><p>Frowning, Nat placed a hand on Shaun’s shoulder. “Shaun,” she said quietly, glancing over at Ignis as the robot cleaned the counter, “who the hell is this?”</p><p>Shaun sighed, running his hand over across the back of his neck- he was starting to wish he’d just continued doing his paperwork. “My house,” he said firmly, staring at his sister, who had a murderous expression on her face as she took the advisor’s hand in hers, “now."</p><p class="p1">
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</p><hr/><p>Scowling, I flopped on the worn couch and glaring at my brother while he went into his fridge, getting two sodas out and handing each of us one. “What the hell is your problem?” I grumbled, opening the bottle for Ignis and taking a swig. “Seriously, what gives, Shaun?” </p><p>He sighed, settling into a chair and gesturing for Nat to sit next to him. “Nat,” he said, closing his eyes, “this is Ignis…” he paused for a moment, then continued. “He’s Shadow’s friend from school,” he said finally. “Ignis, this is Nat Wright, a reporter for Publick Occurrences… and a family friend. So,” he said, looking at me intently, “what brings you two to Diamond City?”</p><p>“Dinner,” Ignis replied, not missing a beat. “Jenny wanted to treat me to dinner, so we came here to share a meal. I apologize for the confusion- had I known there would be an issue, I would have insisted she let you know first.” </p><p>Shaun just nodded, then glanced over at Nat before turning back to us. “See, this is what happens when you go hermit too long, kid- we see you with people and the world goes to shit.” He smiled at his friend, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Mind giving me a minute with these two? I got a few… questions I’d like to ask.”</p><p>Her eyes roamed over Ignis, and instantly, I felt a pang of jealousy- unconsciously, I moved closer, settling my arm around his waist. “I’ve got some questions, too. Like why is a man hanging out with a girl like Shadow.”</p><p>Ignis smiled politely. “Contrary to what it appears, I’m only eighteen, Miss Wright- I just have responsibilities I attend to on a daily basis. Jenny caught me as I was leaving work, and I hadn’t had the opportunity to change just yet.” </p><p>“Ah,” Nat replied, looking like she had about a million other things to say, but the look on my face shut them all down. “Come by later,” she told my brother. “Nice seeing you again, Shadow. Ignis,” she said, smiling warmly, “it was a pleasure to meet you.”</p><p>“Likewise,” he replied, standing up to shake her hand. “Safe travels, Miss Wright.” </p><p>She smiled, then turned to my brother. “Take a cue from the baby, Shaun- that’s how you talk to a woman.” </p><p>Shaun just shrugged, then gave her a wicked smile. “When I find one, I will.” She snorted as she flipped him off, heading to the door and shutting it behind her. After getting up to lock the door, my brother came over, shaking his head in disbelief. “Shadow,” he said softly, looking between the two of us, “what on earth would possess you to bring Specs over here?”</p><p>“It really was just dinner,” I said quietly, grateful for Ignis lacing his hand in mine again. “I wanted to show Iggy our world for a little bit, that’s all- I didn’t think it’d be that big of a deal.”</p><p>Shaun sighed, walking over and placing a kiss on my head. “It’s not… not really.” Then he settled back in his seat and looked at Ignis, his face full of concern. “So, how you doin’, Specs? Besides me almost killing you, how was your first trip to the Commonwealth?”</p><p>“Incredible,” he answered, causing my eyes to widen with surprise and my cheeks to flush with embarrassment. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd get to see something like this- I’m honored that Jenny thought to share this with me.” </p><p>Shaun gave a slight nod of approval. “Glad to hear it- maybe next time, with a little heads up, we can arrange for something a little nicer than noodles in the center of town. Who knows,” he said innocently, “maybe he could come over and Mom could cook dinner for him.”</p><p>Ignis started to smile, but I went pale and furiously shook my head. “No fucking way, Nerd- I like Iggy way too much to do that to him.” </p><p class="p1">
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</p><hr/><p>After Shaun chatted with them for a little while longer, Jenny took his hand as they stood up. “Time to go home,” she said quietly. “Close your eyes, Iggy.” </p><p>He obliged as they stepped through the door, feeling the air shift as they emerged back into the Citadel, the familiar twilight enveloping them. It was evening now, and Ignis knew that no matter how much he didn’t want it to, the evening would have to end soon. Looking down at the girl still holding his hand, Ignis smiled. “Is it terrible if I say that I don’t want to go home just yet?” </p><p>“I was thinking the same thing,” Jenny replied. “Feel like hanging around with me a little longer?” </p><p>“Of course,” Ignis said, staring at Jenny as the two of them walked toward the fountain, settling down on the edge as the water splashed behind them. “I know we didn’t find anything you liked, but I truly enjoyed spending the day with you.” Nervously, he took her hand, threading his fingers in hers. “Being with you today was nice,” he admitted. “I felt like I got to know the real you a little more.” </p><p>“The feeling's mutual,” Jenny replied, staring at him with a look so honest that it made Ignis wonder what he’d ever done to deserve something so wonderful. “I enjoyed myself today- never thought I’d say that about a trip that involved Diamond City.” </p><p>Ignis gave Jenny a smirk. “I’m sure stranger things have happened.” She laughed, and Ignis smiled even wider. “Would you be offended if I asked if we could do this again? Minus the almost getting murdered by your brother portion, of course, but everything else was amazing,” Ignis said lightly, searching her face for a clue. “I thoroughly enjoyed myself today, Jenny.” </p><p>She smiled back, then closed her eyes. “Iggy, can I ask you a question?” Jenny asked, holding his hand a little tighter, reminding him of the closeness he’d grown accustomed to throughout the day. “If you don’t want to answer it, you don’t have to, but I’m dying here… I gotta know.”</p><p>“I don’t think there was a question in there,” Ignis replied gently, brushing his thumb over her knuckles. “I promise, if you ask me your question, I’ll extend you the courtesy of giving you an honest answer, Jenny.”</p><p>“Do you like me?” Jenny blurted out, causing Ignis’s heart to skip a beat. “I’ll be honest, I don’t have any clue as to what I’m doing, but I like you, Iggy, and It’s going to be super awkward if you don’t, but Prompt and Noct said you did, and I was thinking-“ </p><p>“<em>By the six</em>,” Ignis breathed, relief flooding through his veins as he rested his forehead against hers. “Jenny, would you <em>please</em> stop talking so I can kiss you?” </p><p>She gasped, and Ignis was unable to breathe as he stared at the girl in front of him. She was so close that he could feel the warmth of her breath on his lips, the scents of berries and cola tickling his nose. “Is that a yes?” Jenny whispered, closing her eyes. “Please say it’s a yes.” </p><p>“It’s most certainly a yes,” Ignis replied, bending his head to place a kiss on her waiting lips. He’d never even let himself dream of such a thing before- he was too scared to be disappointed if he never got the chance to do it in real life. But now, he was here and so was she, warm and soft beneath him, and Ignis thought the Astrals themselves were smiling upon him and offering their blessing as he pressed his lips to hers. Ignis had never felt more alive than he had at this moment, and he knew without a shadow of a doubt that he needed to see those green eyes staring back at him with adoration and joy for the rest of his days. <em>I want this,</em> he thought to himself as he continued to kiss her beneath the setting sun, the water bubbling and splashing behind them.<em> If there is any justice in the world, then please, let me have this one thing for myself- if I can have this, then I’ll do anything.</em></p><p>“When it comes to you,” he said breathlessly as they moved apart, searching her bright green eyes with his own and feeling as if his world was finally complete as he stroked her cheek with his finger, "there was never any other answer, Jenny.” </p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Little Things</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The gang takes a minute to think about life after high school</p>
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<hr/><p>If Ignis were to make a list of his shortcomings, he’d have to say that chief among them was his inability to do anything by halves. He took no small measure of pride in the fact that whether it was personal or professional, there was never a stone left unturned with him. In between his duties for the crown and Noct, he found himself spending every moment he could with Jenny, rapidly forgetting what his life was like before she’d returned to it. With her by his side, he felt like he was finally complete- his favorite part of his day was when he was able to come to the prince’s apartment and find the two people he treasured most waiting for him. I’m the luckiest man in Eos, he thought as Jenny wrapped her arms around his neck, allowing Ignis to inhale the scent of the sylleblossom perfume he’d gotten her for her birthday. My life is perfect.</p><p>In the beginning, he’d wondered if he was being neglectful- with Noct focusing on his studies, Ignis had been pulled in a thousand different directions, making sure that he gathered every scrap of information to compile his reports for the prince. As a result, the time he could spend on personal endeavors dwindled to almost zero, leaving Ignis fearful that his relationship would be doomed before it even got the chance to start. He’d hated telling her that he had to cancel plan after plan- every time she gave him that smile and waved it off, he felt like she was just hiding her hurt, and he began to steel his heart against the inevitable day when she’d grow fed up with him, leaving him alone in the miasma of his head with nothing but his own failures for company. <em>This is no kind of life for her</em>, he thought sadly as she kissed him goodbye and raced toward the school, watching as her fiery hair disappeared amongst the sea of students.<em> She deserves more.</em></p><p>Resigned, he headed off to his training session with Gladio, hoping to clear his head and still his aching heart. As Ignis started to spar with the warrior and missing easy openings, Gladio put down his sword, giving the advisor a sharp look. “Specs, what’s with you today?”</p><p>Shaking his head, Ignis adjusted his stance, giving his friend a fake expression of calm. “It’s nothing- we can continue.”</p><p>“Come off it- something’s wrong.” Gladio headed over to the bench, frowning as he grabbed his water. “If you keep going like this I’m liable to hurt you, so I need you to come clean- what’s going on?” Suddenly, his head snapped up, giving Ignis a hard stare. “Did Sweets break up with you or something?"</p><p>Ignis sighed, hanging his head and heading for the bench. “It would be easier if she did,” the advisor admitted. “I fear that I’m being neglectful to her due to my duties- this situation cannot be pleasant for her.”</p><p>“Have you talked to her about it?” When Ignis didn’t answer right away, Gladio let out a groan, putting his head in his hands. “Geez, Specs, how are you getting this worked up about something you haven’t even talked to the girl about!” </p><p>“She deserves better,” Ignis replied, staring at his hands. “I just want to see her happy, even if it isn’t with me.”</p><p>“<em>Again</em>,” Gladio said exasperatedly, “you need… to talk… to <em>her</em>.” The warrior looked at Ignis and scoffed. “Cause from where I’m sitting, Sweets seems fine- looks like you’re the only one with a problem.”</p><p>At that, the advisor’s head jerked up. “How do you know?”</p><p>Gladio rolled his eyes. “Because unlike you, I know that ‘how are things going with you and Specs’ isn’t a top-secret question- when she comes to spar, we <em>talk</em>… like normal people.” Shaking his head, he got up from the bench and rolled his shoulders. “Look, before you do something stupid, just promise me you’ll talk to her.” Offering Ignis his hand, Gladio gave the advisor a serious look. “Anyone with eyes can see that you’ve got something special here- Astrals knows why you can’t, considering you got four of ‘em.” </p><p>“Ha,” Ignis replied, readying his pole. “I give you my word- I’ll talk with her."</p><p>“That’s all I ask,” Gladio replied. “Now get your damn head back in the game, Specs."</p><p>After finishing their workout and reeling from his earlier conversation with the warrior, Ignis made a concerted effort to pick Jenny up from school, earning odd looks from Noct and Prompto when he requested a moment alone with her. Though the confusion on her face was evident, she agreed, taking his hand as he guided her to the car. “Jenny,” he said stiffly, avoiding her gaze as he focused on keeping his voice steady, “is it ok if I talk to you about something?” </p><p>“Um,” she replied, nervously twiddling her fingers, “sure, I guess.” Then she let out a gasp and her hands flew to her mouth. “Oh no! Did I do something wrong?”</p><p>Ignis’ eyes went wide. “What? No!” He took her hands in his, mortified that she’d think she was the problem here. “I was merely going to ask you if you were happy… with me.” </p><p>Jenny stared at him for a moment, then her eyes narrowed. “You <em>asshole!</em>” When his mouth dropped in shock, she swiped at his shoulder, pushing him back against the seat of the car. “You had me thinking the worst- I thought you were leaving me!” </p><p>“To be honest,” Ignis said sadly as he rubbed his shoulder, “I thought you’d be leaving me, seeing as how I haven’t been a very good companion to you as of late.”</p><p>“Wha?” Jenny stared at him, leaning back against the door. “Wait… you’re serious, aren’t you?” He nodded morosely, and she gave him a tender smile, touching a hand to his cheek. “Iggy… you’re absolutely amazing,” she said softly, tracing her fingertips along his face. “I… I don’t even live in your reality, and you’re worried about how good of a boyfriend you are? Fuck, if we’re being honest, I’m a terrible girlfriend- you can’t come see me, I don’t know a lot about anything that’s not in a textbook, and-“ </p><p>Unable to take it anymore, he reached for her, cupping her face in his hands. “I love you.” </p><p>The words had tumbled out of his mouth before he could even think about them, but the moment they left his lips, he knew he’d never been surer of anything in his life. “I… I know it may sound strange,” he stammered, feeling as nervous as if he were talking with the king, “but I’ve known it since the moment we met- I kept telling myself I was wrong, that I wasn’t thinking clearly or I was rushing into things, but no matter how much I try to fight it, the feeling just keeps growing every day.” He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, anchoring himself with the feeling of her skin under his fingers. “And I love you enough to want you to be happy… even if it isn’t with me.”</p><p>Jenny laughed softly as she threaded her hands in his hair. “I already knew that, Iggy… I’ve known it for a while.” </p><p>His green eyes snapped open, scarcely able to believe his ears. “You did? How?”</p><p>“Actions speak louder than words,” Jenny said with a smile. “It’s the little things, you know?” She leaned forward, placing a gentle kiss on the tip of his nose. “Like taking the pickles out of my sandwich because you know the smell makes me sick, or always keeping an extra umbrella with you because you know I can’t seem to remember that people go outside in the rain around here. It’s you leaving notes in my lunch that make me smile, or the way you hold my hand when you think Noct and Prompt aren’t watching.” Her eyes danced across his face and he held his breath, afraid to make a single sound that might break the spell she was casting over him. “Where I’m from, people don’t get what we have- every night, you’re the last voice I hear before I fall asleep, and I get to wake up to a message from you. Iggy,” Jenny said breathlessly, “I’m so fucking in love with you it’s stupid, and I’m sorry I never told you… that’s my fault. It’s just that…”</p><p>Her voice trailed off, and Ignis caressed her chin with his finger. “I’d always hoped that was the case, but I couldn’t let myself believe it,” he said, his voice thick with relief and joy. He wanted to say ‘I’ve been in love with you since I was a child’, but the words of her brother flashed back to him, reminding him that he was just lucky to have these moments with her now. "You have no idea how much I’ve wanted to hear you say that,” he said quietly. “But why did you feel you couldn’t tell me? Have I done something to make you think otherwise?”</p><p>She shook her head. “Hell no! Like I said, it’s my fault.” Jenny looked down, but he tapped her face gently and she raised her eyes to his.  “I just… I thought that saying it would make it real. I dunno,” Jenny said quietly. “I’ve always just had this thing where sometimes, I just get this feeling that what I’m saying is the absolute god-honest truth.”</p><p>“Jenny, if this was one of those times, you’d make me happier than I ever dreamed possible,” Ignis replied, marveling at the woman in his hands. “I suppose I’m just confused as to why you seem as if this were a bad thing.”</p><p>“Well, in my family,” Jenny said softly, "we don’t play around with feelings like those. And saying something like that, only to have you not feel the same way…” She blew out a deep breath, then leaned forward and rested her head against his. “Let’s just say I’m happy now.”</p><p>“That’s all I ever wanted,” Ignis replied, running his hands through his hair and trying to calm his racing heart. As he felt the warmth of her breath against his skin, Ignis found himself wishing for the umpteenth time that she remembered their meeting all those years ago. “Thank you, Jenny… for loving me."<br/>
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Now, as Ignis walked the girl he loved with all his heart to the door, he allowed himself a rare moment to dream a little bigger. <em>What if we didn’t have to be a world away from each other every night, </em>Ignis thought as the doors closed, letting out a deep sigh as he made his way back to the kitchen. <em>Is it possible to ask for more than this?</em></p><p>“You’re quiet,” Noct mused, watching him from the couch. “What’s on your mind, Iggy?”</p><p>“It’s fine,” Ignis said sadly, watching as the suds filled the sink. “Nothing you need to concern yourself with, Noct.” </p><p>“I’m your friend,” Noct replied, a concerned expression on his face. “And I know it’s not nothing, so talk to me- what’s with you tonight?”</p><p>“Just…” the advisor looked down at the sink and sighed, trying to comfort himself with the mindless task of cleaning. “I just don’t know… is it wrong of me to want more than what I have?”</p><p>“I mean, I don’t think it’s wrong to want more…I’m just not sure if life always allows us to get what we want.” Noct shrugged as he moved to lean against the counter. “But… I guess that depends- what is it that you want, Iggy?” </p><p>Ignis frowned, struggling to put his swirling thoughts into the right words. “The only way I can put it is ‘more’, I suppose. I love what I have now, but I don’t want it to end, either.”</p><p>The prince gave Ignis a polite smile. “Why do you think it has to end at all?”</p><p>“Because,” Ignis said helplessly, “Jenny is graduating- there’s no reason for her to stay here any longer. You’ll be going to the palace, our duties will change…” Ignis let out a deep sigh, hanging his head as the dishwater cooled beneath his hands. “I feel like I’m on the verge of waking from a wonderful dream.”</p><p>“Then don’t,” Noct replied as he pushed away from the counter. “Your dream could easily be a reality, Iggy- just ask her.”</p><p>Ignis closed his eyes for a moment, struggling to process what his friend was telling him. “Is it really that simple?”</p><p>“In this case,” Noct said quietly as he padded off toward his room, “I’m pretty sure it is."</p><p class="p1">
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<hr/><p>“So,” Noct said as we sat at his kitchen table studying after a grueling day of school, “are you glad you came, Sweets?”</p><p>I looked up from my notes, confused at the level of introspection coming from Noct- while he was serious to a fault with everyone else except us, he usually reveled in being as irreverent as possible with Prompt and I. “Huh? Where’d that come from, Noct?”</p><p>“Does it matter?” Noct replied, staring at me thoughtfully. “I’m curious- are you glad you decided to come to school out here?” He tapped his pencil against the counter, his deep blue eyes calm and still. “I mean, we’re graduating soon and we’re going to be adults- no more school, no more studying… just real life.”</p><p>“Yeah,” I replied, thinking about it for a moment, letting the silence stretch out between us. Though I’d spent most of my life in the Commonwealth, my strongest memories were in Eos with him, Ignis, Prompt, and Gladio. “I guess I don’t see it that way,” I said, mulling over my words. “To me, my real life started when I met you guys- everything before that just seemed to be… filler, I guess.” </p><p>“Hmm," Noct murmured, pulling his phone out his pocket and typing a message. “That’s interesting.” </p><p>“Wait a minute, I don’t trust you.” I raised my eyebrows and leaned over the table, peering at his phone. “What are you doing?”</p><p>“Sending a message to your brother and chastising him for letting your life before meeting me be nothing but filler,” he replied teasingly. “I’m sure he’d love to know that.”</p><p>“Asshole,” I said, swatting at him and laughing as he put his phone away. “I swear, sometimes I wonder why you guys even bothered talking to me that day if you weren’t going to do anything except be evil to me all these years.”</p><p>“Because you needed a friend,” Noct said seriously. “And I needed someone who didn’t care if I was the prince, and Iggy needed someone who’d show him it’s ok to be happy about something besides work, and Prompt needed someone normal.” He looked at me and that impish grin I knew so well slid across his face, telling me he was about to say something stupid. “Well, he sort of got it, I guess- at least Gladio got someone that can kick his ass, even if she does fight dirty.”</p><p>“You sure know how to make a girl feel special,” I replied dryly. “If you plan on giving such wonderfully motivating speeches like this when you become king, then I’m glad I don’t live in Eos.”</p><p>He laughed, then ran his hand through his hair. “About that… would you?”</p><p>“Would I what?” I asked, looking back down at the notebook. “I think you forgot the question in there, old man- is this what I have to look forward to when I turn eighteen?”</p><p>He ignored my jibe. “Would you consider staying in Eos?” Noct looked at me, his expression serious. “I mean, school is almost over and I know I can’t dodge my duties forever, but…” his voice trailed off for a moment, then he looked down at the table. “If you left, I’d be losing one of my best friends.” </p><p>I paused, letting his words wash over me. Noct was right- after school was done, I really had no reason to stay in Eos- for all intents and purposes, my life of freedom was coming to a close, just as his was. “I don’t know what I’d do,” I replied honestly. “I don’t have any money, no place to live… what am I supposed to do all day, Noct? Everyone else has a job- I barely even exist here,” I replied sadly. “Maybe I should just accept it was fun while it lasted- it’s more than I had, anyway."</p><p>“Nah,” Noct said, shaking his head. “I’m not letting you give up on us that easily- you belong here with us,” he said firmly. “Friends forever, remember? Besides, if you left, you’d turn my advisor into a shell of a man and I can’t have that- you owe it to the people of Eos to stay, Sweets."</p><p>“Oh, so now my residency is a matter of diplomatic importance?” I laughed and so did Noct, leaning back in his chair as he smiled at me. “So, oh great and powerful future king, how does one propose that I, the lowly resident of Goodneighbor, afford a place in the lofty Citadel when I’m not being backed by royal coffers?” He gave me a look and I snorted, gesturing to the apartment I’d helped him clean earlier. “I don’t know if you missed this part, but most people have to have jobs to afford a place like this, Noct. Emphasis on the plural, cause this place ain’t nothing approaching cheap. And last I checked, caps weren’t a viable unit of currency here, so I’m broke AF, Noct.” </p><p>“Then that settles it,” Noct said, grinning at me. “We’ll get jobs- we’ve lived off the teat of others long enough,” he said with pride. “Let us join the ranks of the people and work for our daily bread!” </p><p>“You just don’t want to go back to the palace,” I said witheringly, crossing my arms. “And you’re using me as an excuse.” </p><p>“Partially,” he admitted. “But you gotta admit, it’s a really good plan- I get to be normal a little longer, and I get to keep my best friend with me.” He gave a slight shrug, then gazed up at the ceiling. “Win-win.” </p><p>“Whoa,” I said mockingly, picking up a chip from the bowl on the table and tossing it at him. “I’ve moved into the ranks of bestie? When did that happen?”</p><p>“Somewhere along the time when you started cleaning up my apartment on a regular basis,” Noct replied casually, picking the chip out of his lap and popping it into his mouth. “It was cheaper than paying you.” When I snorted in response, the prince just closed his eyes and grinned. “You know you and Prompt are my best friends- who else would be insane enough to deal with the level of grief I give them on a daily basis?” I leaned forward and started to say something, but he raised a hand in response. “And Iggy and Gladio don’t count- they’ve got special circumstances.” </p><p>Closing my mouth, I flounced back in my chair. “You’re lucky I love you, Noct.”</p><p>Noct opened one eye. “So is that a yes?”</p><p>“IF you can find somewhere that will take us,” I said carefully, “then I’ll consider it. And if I have enough saved after graduation, I’ll see about getting a place.” </p><p>“You know,” Noct replied casually, shifting to watch my reaction, “you could save some money and move in with Iggy… I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.” </p><p>“And I’m sure Ignis would just <em>love</em> that you’re offering up his place to make your life easier,” I retorted, rolling my eyes. “We’ve never discussed anything of the sort before.” </p><p>“But you love him.” It wasn’t a question- it was a statement and we both knew it. When I didn’t respond, he let out a sigh. “Look, I know it’s none of my business, but… you might want to talk to him,” he said quietly. "We both know Iggy's a good guy, but let’s be honest- he gets stuck. He’s always too busy trying to do things perfectly that he just… forgets to do them at all, you know? But, Iggy's different when he’s with you- it’s like you make him remember what it’s like to be a person,” Noct said with an apologetic smile. "He does better when he knows what he’s working with, so I think he just needs to know where you stand- if you let him know how you feel, I think he might surprise you, Sweets.” </p><p>“I get it,” I said quietly. “Let’s…let’s just worry about this job thing first,” I said with a bright smile, forcing the conversation back into safer territory. “I’m honestly more concerned with us finding a place to work that would be stupid enough to turn us loose on the general population.” </p><p>“I dunno,” Noct said with a grin, thankfully dropping the previous subject. “But hey, I hear Standing Sushi is hiring… who knows, we might even score free food.”</p><p>“Do you even know how to make sushi?” I asked, giving my friend an incredulous look. When he shook his head, I groaned.  “Ugh, this sounds like a <em>terrible</em> idea, Noct.” </p><p>“It probably is,” he replied, going back to his homework. “But we both know you’re gonna do it with me." </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Wow, this story... <em>and</em> the second... are both completely written (I just like to edit things and backlog). I can't believe this little quarantine tale is all ready to be released into the world- thank you for sticking around with these guys and indulging this little cross-universe fantasy of mine! </p><p>Next story, we're gonna be out of high school... and all the adulting begins! Thanks for reading, enjoy these next two chapters, and I hope to see you for book 2 and 3!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Knowing is hard</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jenny thinks on some things; Grace has a conversation with Sam</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s2">  </span> </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>“Hey Nerd,” I said, walking into Shaun’s office and plopping on his desk, “I thought you’d be done by now- you ready to go or what?”</p><p>My brother looked up at me, confused. “Uh, I thought Aunt Sam was coming to get me- not that I mind, but why are you here, Shadow?”</p><p>Grinning, I waved my cuff in his face, the purple stones glinting in the harsh artificial light of the room. “Nope, I got my license,” I teased. “Can’t drive a car, but I can officially move from reality to reality,” I chirped. “Mom and dad are already there- you’re the last to arrive, as usual.”</p><p>“Contrary to popular opinion,” Shaun huffed, gathering his papers, “some of us have real jobs, you know." </p><p>“Hey, I have a job!” I retorted, glancing at his papers and forcing myself not to scatter them across the desk. “But unlike you, I know how to leave work on time.” </p><p>“Oooh,” Shaun cried, waving his hands in a mocking gesture, “I forgot I was in the presence of the best hostess Insomnia has ever seen- how could I have been so careless!” I rolled my eyes at him, and he grinned. “With <em>such</em> a busy schedule, I’m surprised you managed to get away and spend time with us commoners.”</p><p>“You’re a dick,” I said, rolling my eyes again. “Anyway, Aunt Lana and Uncle Ali are there, so you know if we wait too long, there won’t be any food left- best to get a move on, Nerd.” </p><p>“I’m coming,” he groused, locking his drawer and getting up from his seat. “I swear, I think I liked you better when you were a whiny little kid, Shadow- at least you listened to me back then.” </p><p>“Come off it, I know you love me,” I teased, opening the door and ushering my brother inside. “Admit it- you’re gonna miss me when I’m gone.” </p><p>“Gone?” Shaun turned to look at me as I closed the doorway, leaving the dry air of Diamond City for the warm evening air of Uncle Cullen and Aunt Sam’s farm. “What the hell are you talking about?” </p><p>I shrugged as we headed toward the house, ignoring the feeling of my brother’s eyes on my neck. “Well, yeah,” I said nervously. “Me and Prompt are talking about renting that apartment in the city- I thought I told you that?”</p><p>“No,” Shaun said tersely. “You said, ‘ooh, that’s a cool building’ and you left it at that- you most certainly did not tell me that you’re planning to leave and move to Insomnia permanently.” When I didn’t respond, he sighed. “Don’t get me wrong- I’m happy for you, Shadow, but don’t you think you’re rushing things a little?”</p><p>I frowned. “How is this fair? You moved out at eighteen- what’s the big deal when I want to do it?”</p><p>“Yeah, to the next town over to be with our grandfather and family friends,” Shaun retorted as the farmhouse came into view. “There’s a big fucking difference with this one, sis.”</p><p>“How?” I asked, crossing my arms and glowering at my brother. “I’m going to be with my friends- I don’t see the difference.” </p><p>“Those are your friends- we’re your family,” Shaun replied, placing a hand on my shoulder. “I just don’t like the idea of my little sister going off on her own without anyone to watch her back.”</p><p>“I have people,” I said angrily, jerking my arm back. “You know, I thought you, of all people, would be happy for me- you’re always saying I need to stop being so dependent on mom and dad, but the moment I try to do exactly that, you start treating me like a little fucking kid!”</p><p>Shaun sighed as he looked at our family gathered in the yard, the sounds of soft music wafting toward us on the breeze. I could see my uncle Cullen talking to my dad as they poked at something on the fire, laughing as my uncle Ali tried to reach for something and got his hand smacked by my aunt Lana. Sitting at the table were my mom, Aunt Sam and Dorian, their best friend- I could hear their laughter as we approached, but it did nothing to improve my mood. “Look,” he said, taking my hand and holding me in place, “All I want is for you to be happy and safe, sis- I’m just… out of sorts,” he said quietly. “I can’t protect you out there, and it freaks me out a little.” </p><p>Huffing softly, I wrapped my arms around my brother’s waist. “I know that if I need you, you’ll come running- after all, you are one of the the few people I can call out here.” </p><p>“Damn straight,” Shaun replied, squeezing me tightly. “No matter what, I’ve got your back, sis.”</p><p>I looked up at him, a teasing smile on my face. “Cool, so that means you’ll make sure dad doesn’t murder me when I talk to him about it, right?” </p><p>“Whoa, slow down there,” Shaun replied with a grin, ruffling my hair as our dad waved us toward the house. “I never said I was willing to go that far.”<br/>
—<br/>
As the evening drew to a close, I found Aunt Sam on the porch, sketching away in one of her notebooks. “Um,” I said, hands behind my back, “I thought the guest of honor was supposed to, you know, hang out with her guests?”</p><p>Aunt Sam laughed, her long dark hair fluttering in the warm breeze. “But if I did that, how would I get a chance to talk privately with my favorite niece?” </p><p>I grinned at my aunt, looping my thumb in the loop of my jeans. “You realize that Aunt Mia would lose her shit if she heard you say that.”</p><p>“Don’t care,” Sam replied, laughing. “And language, young lady.” I rolled my eyes and she laughed even harder, gesturing for me to sit next to her on the wooden swing. “So, spill- what’s on your mind, Shadow?”</p><p>“What makes you think I wanted to talk to you?” I asked, picking up a pencil and absentmindedly doodling in the spare sketchbook she’d no doubt set aside for me. “I could’ve just been coming out here to tell you that mom and Aunt Lana had gotten into something, you know.”</p><p>“Trust me, if your mom and Lana were involved, the explosions would have cued me in long before you got out here,” she teased, closing her book and resting on her elbows. “At any rate, what’s got you twisted up in so many knots, kiddo? You’ve been on edge all evening and you even let Ali get hold of the last slice of cake- that’s not like you, Shadow.”</p><p>Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and hoped my theory was right- otherwise, this was going to be a very awkward conversation. “Aunt Sam,” I said slowly, “you were my age when you and uncle Cullen got married, right?”</p><p>“Ye-e-e-s,” she replied, fixing her piercing gaze on me. “I think I know where this is going, but humor an old woman, kid- stop beating around the bush and level with me.” </p><p>“Cut the crap, Aunt Sam- we both know you’re not old,” I said with a smile. “And if you already know what I’m gonna say, why are you making me suffer like this?”</p><p>“Because if you’re old enough to think about getting married to Iggy, then you’re old enough to talk to me about it without being embarrassed AF,” she replied. When my eyes widened, she grinned. “Yeah, Shadow… I already know.” </p><p>“Am I crazy?” I asked quietly, looking down at my drawing. "The logical part of my brain is screaming at me that this is the stupidest thing I’ve ever considered, but there’s another part of me…” I shrugged, looking up at my aunt with pleading eyes. “I feel like I’m going crazy.”</p><p>“Shadow,” Aunt Sam said quietly, placing a hand on mine and closing her eyes for a moment, “you’ve had your own mind ever since you were a little girl- it’s one of my favorite things about you, kid. You’ve never needed anyone to tell you what was right for you- why the sudden change now?”</p><p>“It’s big,” I whispered, twisting the pencil in my hands. “And there’s so many things to consider- I mean, what if he doesn’t want to? What if he’s not ready? What if-“</p><p>She laughed, taking the pencil out of my hands before I could break it between my fingers. “Jenny, trust me… I don’t think that’s the issue at all. Look,” she said quietly, taking my hand in hers, “screw everything else- what do you want to do? No,” she said, shaking her head, “what do you know you should do? Listen to your gut and tell me what you know, Shadow- no matter what, I’ll never judge you for being honest."</p><p>Closing my eyes, I thought about it for a minute, letting the whirlwind of thoughts and emotions settle in my head. “I feel like I’ve known him all my life- like, the moment I saw him it was like…” I opened my eyes and shrugged, feeling extremely stupid but unable to stop myself from talking. “It was like I found what I’d been missing,” I whispered, trying to fight the tears welling in my eyes. “And every time I’m around him, I have to remind myself that it’s only been two years and I need to get a grip.” Placing my head in my hands, I took a deep breath, trying my best not to cry. I was vaguely aware of my aunt moving next to me, but I was too out of it to care. “I don’t know what to do,” I cried softly, sobbing as she wrapped her arms around me. “Am I losing my mind?”</p><p>“You aren’t,” Aunt Sam said quietly, stroking my hair. “You’ve <em>always</em> known your path, Jenny- the reason you feel so wrecked is because you’re trying to fight it.” I looked up at her and she smiled, placing a kiss on my forehead. “When I was your age, I set out on a trip with your Aunt Lana,” she said as she glanced out into the evening sky. "And even though we’d only been together… in a war, mind you, for less than a year, your uncle knew without a shadow of a doubt that he wanted to marry me.”</p><p>“And I thought I was rushing it,” I mumbled, burying my face in her side. “And you felt the same way?” </p><p>“Hell no!” Aunt Sam replied, laughing as she squeezed my shoulders. “I told him he was crazy and that there was no possible way that he was ready to get married at nineteen. “ My eyes went wide, but she just laughed again, patting me on the shoulder- unlike her normal laugh, which was always a bit sad no matter how happy she was, this one was so bright and clear that it warmed my heart to hear it. “Spoiler alert- he was. Got married while we were on the road, even though we weren’t supposed to- stupidest thing I’ve ever done… but it was the best decision of my life,” she said softly, shifting to look at me. “Look, I’m not telling you to be like me- lord knows that I am in no way, shape, or form the poster child for normal, but you are a Roberts,” Aunt Sam said firmly. “Mom told me that years ago, and it took me a long time to realize what that meant, so let me save you some trouble, ok? There’s way too much darkness in the world,” she said quietly. “It’s our responsibility to bring light to the worlds we touch, but the price we pay to do it is never easy.” I looked at her curiously, but she just smiled, touching a cool hand to my cheek. “Just… promise me you’ll enjoy happiness where you can find it, because we all need something to fight for… or someone, as the case may be.”</p><p>In response, I raised my eyebrow- it wasn’t like the woman to be this open, so I watched her closely, hesitant to do anything to stop her from talking. However, when she didn’t say anything else, I bit my lip, letting her strange words roll around in my brain like marbles. “I will,” I replied softly, gripping her hand as we sat on the swing, rocking back and forth. “Thanks, Aunt Sam.” </p><p>“Meh,” she said with a shrug. “In the meantime, you can thank me by helping your brother with the mess your mom is making in my living room.” </p><p>Frowning, I looked up at her. “What mess? There wasn’t any-“</p><p>Just then I heard a crash from behind me, followed by a string of curses from my mom and laughter from Shaun. “That mess,” she said, a twinkle in her bright green eyes. “Go on, get out of here and help your mother,” Aunt Sam said, laughing. “In the meantime, I’m going to go out and stall Cullen long enough for Shaun to put back all the chess pieces your clumsy ass mom just knocked over."</p><p>Shaking my head, I laughed as I made my way inside, feeling freer than I had in weeks. “Language, Aunt Sam."</p><p>“Still doesn’t work that way,” the woman replied with a grin, folding her hands behind her head and closing her eyes.</p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s2">  </span> </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <em>One week later</em>
</p><p>As Sam sat at the table across from Grace, quietly sketching away in her notebook, Grace Hancock slowly started to come to the realization that while she was arguably the smartest out of her sisters, she was nowhere near the wisest of the three. </p><p>To be sure, Grace was intelligent and quick-witted- she’d gotten those qualities in spades from both her mother and father. She could read people better than anyone except her husband, and she had yet to meet a puzzle that she couldn’t solve. Grace often thought it was because she was so normal in every other respect that boosted these qualities in her, since her sisters seemed to have weirdness in spades- her middle sister, Lana, was an absolute magical powerhouse. Even without the glowing fissure in her hand, the mage was able to control the elements with deadly precision, and her ability to lead surpassed Grace’s by a country mile. </p><p>However, while Lana was the most thoughtful, the middle sister was not the wisest- she was too willing to sacrifice for the greater good instead of checking for a better way. No, that was Grace’s specialty- she didn’t do too much without sifting through possibilities.  For all his faults, Grace's dad was even smarter than she was, and Grace found herself taking his advice to heart when dealing with her sisters.  <em>Better to be careful</em>, her father used to say. <em>Try to look into every angle and see if you can plan for the outcome, no matter how outrageous it might be. </em></p><p>But even though she was reckless, there was something about the tall, willowy redhead that drew people to serve with her, and Grace often found herself in awe of the girl. It was a running joke in the family that Grace had only carried Jenny for Lana, since her niece was the spitting image of the mage. If it weren’t for the fact that Lana was as pale as a ghost and Jenny had the same sun-kissed skin as Grace, she might have agreed- regardless, Lana and her husband Ali doted on Jenny, taking care to spoil the girl rotten any chance they got. Looking over the myriad of messages from Lana on her phone inquiring about what she should bring or give the girl in celebration of her achievements, Grace smiled, chuckling to herself at the frenzy her sister was no doubt working herself into. <em>I’m going to have to pry her off Jenny with a crowbar</em>, she thought, dashing off a response to Lana and shaking her head. </p><p>“You might want to clear some space,” Sam said with a giggle, not even looking up from her drawing. “Lana Banana just asked if I could go pick up a package from Leliana, and we both know how that’s gonna turn out.”</p><p>Grace groaned good-naturedly, trying hard not to think of what monstrosity Lana and her best friend were cooking up for her daughter. “Seriously? Does everyone over there think rainbows shoot out of my kid’s ass or something?” </p><p>Sam shrugged. “Well, green light did fly outta Lana’s hand for a while,” she replied with a grin. “You gotta admit, rainbows wouldn’t be that far off, GraceFace.” </p><p>“Oh, go to hell,” Grace retorted, laughing as her sister picked up her colored pencils and returned to her sketch. “This is why we don’t invite you guys anywhere.” </p><p>The two women settled back into their comfortable silence, and as Grace watched her sister become engrossed in her art, she realized that though Sam was the youngest of the three, she certainly was the wisest. She wasn’t the smartest, nor was she the bravest- these were hardly qualities anyone would use to define her sister. Instead of dazzling crowds like Grace, or leading movements like Lana, Sam was often lost in her own head, preferring to draw and sketch instead of interacting with others… like now. Most people thought she was aloof, but anyone who spent more than a minute with the girl knew that the opposite was true- in reality, Sam was an exuberant soul, willing to take on the world for those she loved.  </p><p>At first, Grace was resentful of Sam- she’d often wondered why the girl got to hide away in her own little world while Grace had to make her own way, fighting hard to be seen and heard. But time reveals most things, and Grace eventually discovered that her sister was more powerful than she’d ever guessed. Unbeknownst to Grace, Sam could see possible futures- while her sister had always been adept at it, Sam's ability seemed to be magnified by a factor of ten nowadays, leaving them with a somber woman that wise beyond her years. Sure, she was still the same Sam they knew and loved, but now there was a heaviness to the girl- the teasing chuckles and smiles always felt a little bit forced, almost like she was doing it to make everyone else comfortable. </p><p>There was once a time when Sam would have told Grace anything and everything- but lately, whenever she tried to inquire about how Sam was really doing, she’d get a polite non-answer. <em>I can’t let you in</em>, the sad smile said, making Grace feel as if a door had been shut in her face. Despite seeing her sister more than she had in years, she felt the chasm between them growing deeper as she watched Sam retreat further and further into herself, reminding Grace of the many days she’d spent as a kid trying to make her sister smile. So, when Sam had finally come to her on the roof of the statehouse all those years ago asking to talk about Jenny, Grace had been more than willing to listen. </p><p>But when Sam told Grace what she’d seen regarding her daughter, a surge of emotions rolled through her body, forcing Grace to go still as a statue while she contemplated her response. She thought about raging, yelling and screaming at Sam about the unfairness of it all- haven’t we done enough, she thought angrily. <em>Can’t my children get a break, at least?</em> Then, watching her sister’s sad face, Grace heard her father’s voice in her ear. <em>See all the angles</em>, he whispered. <em>The easy choice isn’t always the right one. </em></p><p>Finally, Grace did what she always did in situations like this- she sought more information. “What do you know, Sam?” </p><p>“More than I should,” Sam answered, and instead of leaving Grace with that hollow feeling of empty platitudes, her sister’s words rang true. “If I could take it on for her, I would,” she said quietly. “But I  don’t see a way around it.” </p><p>“Talk to me,” Grace pleaded, taking Sam’s hand in hers. “I know you can see something, Sam- if it’s my kid, I need to know. Don’t be like mom, Squeak- give me the choice.” </p><p>Sam sighed, staring at her sadly. “Do you really want to know, GraceFace? Could you handle knowing exactly what has to happen and still having to look at everyone like nothing’s changed? Do you really want to know what happens to the people you love most, knowing that there isn’t a goddamn thing you can do to stop it? Could you look into the face of the ones you love more than life itself and know that no matter what, you still have to do what needs to be done?” </p><p>In that raw, honest moment, Grace finally saw her sister for what she was- a woman who had the weight of the world on her shoulders and was trying her best not to crumble beneath it. Before she could answer Sam’s question, that voice of her dad cut through again, asking Grace to check if the easy answer really was the right one. <em>Can I handle knowing what the world has in store for my child? Do I really want to see what the future holds?</em></p><p>Throughout all this, her sister simply stared at her, her green eyes giving nothing away as she watched Grace wrestle with one of the biggest decisions she’d had to face in quite some time. Finally, Grace looked at Sam, the anguish threatening to overwhelm her. “Will you help her?” Grace asked, every fiber of her being thrumming with the knowledge that it was the right question to ask. “If this has to happen, will you do everything in your power to keep Jenny safe?” </p><p>“Even if it doesn’t look like I am, that’s exactly what I’m doing.” Sam stared at Grace, her eyes pleading. “Do you trust me, GraceFace?”</p><p>“To the ends of the Earth and beyond,” Grace said with no hesitation. “You’re my sister, Squeak- no matter what, I’ll always have your back.”</p><p>So, Grace listened to her sister, growing more somber with every word that tumbled from the brunette’s lips. And in exchange for her knowledge, she watched as the happy little girl who thought the sun rose and set on her father grew more miserable by the day, to the point where she thought her heart was going to break. Unable to intervene, Grace stood by, watching as her daughter cried her eyes out for friends she wouldn’t see for almost a decade, wishing that they would come and whisk her away from the life she knew. And she felt like crying for Jenny when her sister obliged her husband, stealing the memories of the only friends her daughter had ever known. So when Sam came back to them, asking for Jenny to attend high school in a world unlike anything her child had ever known, Grace had agreed without question, knowing it was part of a larger plan that she’d asked to be privy to long ago. </p><p>Now, as she watched her daughter fly down the stairs, giddy with excitement and joy over her upcoming graduation, Grace felt that same pull in her chest she felt all those years ago. <em>Her life is starting</em>, she thought sadly as she watched Jenny racing out the door, looking more and more like her aunt Lana by the day. <em>Eighteen and ready to take on the world,</em> she thought with a sad smile, watching her husband twist his hat in his hands, desperate to hold onto the impossible little girl that was now a young woman. <em>She's ready to start on her own journey. </em></p><p>“Did we do the right thing?” Grace asked, looking over at Sam as she continued to sketch in her book. As a rule, Grace never looked in Sam’s book- she knew that the images inside were never meant for anyone to see, and she found that seeing the infinite once was more than enough for her- she had no desire whatsoever to learn anything else about what the future might hold. “Is she going to be okay?” </p><p>“We’ve done everything we could,” Sam replied, her non-answer setting Grace’s nerves on edge. “It’s up to her now.” Her sister laughed, putting the finishing touches on the drawing she’d been working on and tearing the page out of her book, letting the paper flutter on the table. “You aren’t giving Shadow enough credit, sis- she’s always known her story- it was everyone else who was playing catch-up.” Placing a hand on Grace’s arm, Sam placed a kiss on her cheek, gathering her materials and shoving them in her bag. “See you in a few weeks,” Sam said lightly, her breezy tone signifying the matter was closed. “Love you, GraceFace.”</p><p>“Love you too, Squeak,” Grace replied, smiling as Sam left for parts unknown, closing the door softly behind her. </p><p>As Grace got up to set the table for dinner, she felt a flutter in her stomach as she stared at the piece of paper her sister had torn out, knowing that there wasn’t too much her sister did without a reason. Instinctively she stared to grab it, but something made her pause- taking a breath, Grace decided to listen to the little voice in her head that told her to wait until her husband had left the room to turn the drawing over. <em>A present</em>, Sam’s voice said in her head. <em>Thank you for sharing my burden all these years, sis. </em></p><p><em>Always</em>, Grace thought, turning the paper over and smiling as she saw her daughter on a ridge overlooking rolling hills, holding the hand of a young man with spiky blond hair and glasses, both of them looking as if there was no place in the world they’d rather be. <em>She looks happy</em>, Grace thought, touching the image of her daughter with her finger and wiping a tear from her eye. <em>I’m glad. </em></p><p><em>I’mma need you to remember that,</em> Sam replied in Grace's head, her voice wavering between proud and melancholy. <em>Keep this image and hold onto it for me, no matter what happens- can you do that for me, GraceFace? </em></p><p><em>Consider it done,</em> Grace replied, carefully folding the picture and putting it in her pocket. <em>Thank you, Squeak,</em> Grace thought as she made her way upstairs, running her finger over her wedding ring. <em>Just… keep her safe, ok? If I do this, do you think you can do that for me?</em></p><p>
  <em>Always.</em>
</p>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Off to worlds unknown</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Graduation day!</p>
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<hr/><p>As I stood in front of the mirror and fumbled with my hair, I heard a light knock on my bedroom door. Whirling around, I saw my dad leaning against the doorframe with a relaxed smile on his face. “Hey Dad,” I said, gesturing for him to enter the room. “What brings you into this part of the house today?”</p><p>“So I need a reason to come and sit with my daughter now?” Dad replied lightly, walking over and placing a kiss on my cheek and picked up a frizzy curl from my shoulder. “Need some help with that?”</p><p>Laughing, I handed him the brush. “If you want to lose a finger, then by all means- I’m not complaining.” Shaking his head, he motioned for me to move to my chair and I sat down, closing my eyes, relaxing as my dad began to gently run the brush through my curls like he used to when I was a little girl. “You haven’t done this in years,” I remarked, still surprised at how gentle he always was with me. “I kinda miss it.” </p><p>“Seemed appropriate,” he replied, gently removing a tangle from the ends. “Never thought I’d get the chance to see a day like this.” He chuckled, but his tone was almost wistful. “I’m proud of you, Shadow- you did good, kid.” </p><p>“Thanks for giving me the chance,” I said quietly. “I know you didn’t want me to go out there at all, so…” </p><p>“It wasn’t that,” Dad replied, twisting a section of my hair and moving it out of the way. “You’re one of the best things I’ve ever done, kiddo. Makes it sorta hard for me to let you go- it’s my job to keep you safe.” </p><p>“And you’re amazing at it,” I said, craning my neck to look up at him. “I wouldn’t be half the badass I am if it weren’t for you, Dad.”</p><p>“Language,” he said, laughing as he lightly rapped my shoulder with the brush. “But I’m just glad we raised you up right- I was always scared you were gonna turn out to be a fuck-up like me.”</p><p>My mouth twisted into a scowl. “Dad, you <em>know</em> you’re not a fuck-up- you’re the greatest guy I’ve ever known!” He scoffed, but I hit him in the arm. “I’m serious! Like, my dad is John friggin’ Hancock, Mayor of Goodneighbor, King of the Ghouls, and Hero of the Commonwealth… how many kids get to say that?” He held up three weathered fingers, and I laughed, shaking my head. “And the three of us are lucky as hell! I’m proud to be a Hancock,” I said firmly. “And I’ll happily kick the crap outta anyone who tries to tell me otherwise.” </p><p>“You…” he trailed off, shaking his head and chuckling to himself. “My impossible little girl,” he replied, placing a kiss on the top of my head. “You’re gonna do great things, kid.” </p><p>I paused, hearing what he wasn’t saying. “Mom told you, huh?”</p><p>He nodded. “Your mom and brother seemed pretty adamant about making sure I knew that this was important to you.” Dad sighed, then rested a hand on my shoulder. “I just wish you woulda told me, is all- we used to tell each other everything, so I felt some kinda way about you shuttin’ me out about somethin’ this big.” </p><p>“It’s just…” I let out a helpless sigh. “I didn’t want to hurt you,” I whispered. “I was scared, Dad.”</p><p>Dad gave me a stern look, his inky black eyes firmly locked on my green ones. “You ain’t never gotta be scared to talk to me, Shadow- that ain’t how we work in this house.” He sighed, running a hand over his head before brushing my hair again. “Yeah, I’m sad that you wanna leave, but I’m… I’m proud, ya know? My girl, out there in the world, maybe getting the chance to show off all her art to those fancy fuckers?” He laughed, patting my shoulder absentmindedly. “<em>That’s</em> what I want for you, kid- I don’t want you wasting away in this shithole when you got the whole fucking universe at your fingertips.”</p><p>“Goodneighbor isn’t a shithole, it’s my home,” I said quickly. “How can you say something like that, Dad?”</p><p>“You know what I mean,” he replied, gathering my hair into a large French braid. “I love my town somethin’ fierce, but if I had a choice… this ain’t the life I want for you, Shadow. And if you strikin’ out on your own is gonna be the way to get you a better life, then I’m all for it. However,” he said in a smoother tone, instantly making me raise my eyebrows- this was clearly Dad’s ‘I’m-trying-to-work-you-over’ voice, “I might have a proposition for you, if you’re willing.” </p><p>“I’m listening, but I gotta admit, I don’t trust you,” I said warily, crossing my arms. “This sounds like a setup.”</p><p>“Oh, it is,” Dad said lightly. “But again, it’s just an offer,” he said casually, putting the finishing touches on my braid and squeezing my shoulders before heading to sit on my bed. “You ain’t obligated to take it, ya know.” </p><p>“Out with it, old man,” I said, giving him my best ‘I’m onto you’ look. “Stop burying the lead and show your hand already.” </p><p>Dad laughed, folding his hands behind his head and resting against the wall. “That’s my girl,” he said proudly. When I just huffed in response, he chuckled. “Me and Squeak got a proposition for you.” </p><p>“Again,” I said, crossing my legs as I turned to give him my full attention, “I’m listening.” </p><p> “I was just thinkin’… it’s kinda hard for a girl to strike out in a new town on her own,” he said casually. “Might be nice if she had some family with her, at least when she’s startin’ out, you know.” </p><p>My eyes narrowed. “I’m getting a real bad feeling about this,” I said tersely. “Care to explain a little more, Dad?” </p><p>He made a non-committal gesture with his hands. “Just… hear me out,” he said soothingly. “All we’re saying is, why not give you and Shaun the chance to have a life outside of the Commonwealth for a little while?” My jaw dropped open, and before I could say a word, Dad continued. “I mean, considering all your aunts are behind it, we could easily swing the rent on one of those fancy-pants apartments for the two of you for a year or two… just till you get the hang of living out there, ya know?”</p><p>“You’re <em>bribing</em> me?” I asked incredulously. “Are you <em>seriously</em> trying to ship me off with a baby-sitter in exchange for free rent?” </p><p> “Yep,” Dad replied without a lick of hesitation. “Why? Is it working?” </p><p>“And how does Shaun feel about this?” I asked, crossing my arms and glaring at him. “It’s his life too- the Nerd has a job, friends, a <em>life</em>… there’s no reason for him to uproot himself for me!”</p><p>“Who d'ya think suggested this cockamamie idea in the first place,” Dad said with a grin. “Seemed like Squeak thought it wasn’t the worst idea, seeing as she was willing to fund most of this endeavor. Plus,” he said in a more reserved tone, “I’d feel a lot better with your big brother lookin’ out for you while you get used to it.” I started to protest, but he held up a hand. "I know you have friends,” he said slowly, “but having some family wit’ ya won’t be the worst thing… at least till you get settled.” </p><p>“This is dirty pool,” I grumbled. “Why do I want to live with my older brother? I’m old enough to be on my own, Dad!”</p><p>“You are,” he admitted. “I’m just tryin’ to make it easier, is all.” </p><p>“And keep tabs on me,” I shot back, not taking my eyes off him for a moment. In truth, I knew I was already going to accept the offer- having Shaun around wouldn’t be the worst thing, and free rent in the Citadel was sounding a lot better than eating Cup Noodles and questionable sushi so I could pay my rent. It was the meddling I resented more than anything, but I did have to give it to the man- all things considered, Dad was being a lot more reasonable than I thought he’d be. When I talked to mom about my plan, the look she gave me when I asked about how Dad would take it made me think I’d have to drug the man and sneak out the house under the cover of night. However, that would be as likely as me learning how to fly, considering my dad had the drug tolerance of a brahmin and would likely keel over from poisoning before letting me escape without his knowledge. Sighing, I twisted the end of the braid around my fingers. “I hate you all,” I grumbled, looking down at my feet. “This family is full of nothing but con-artists and weirdos, I swear to God.” </p><p>“Sure are,” Dad replied, getting up from the bed and placing a kiss on my forehead. “Now that we’ve gotten that settled, I think it’s time you got dressed,” he said lightly, whistling as he walked out the room. “We’ve got a graduation ceremony to get to, remember?” </p><p class="p1">
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<hr/><p>Shaun sat at his desk, organizing his files meticulously as his aunt sat on the edge of his desk, tapping her fingers on the top and humming an off-key tune to herself. “Welp,” Sam said after a moment, “looks like you’re headed for the bright lights of the big city kid- how does it feel?”</p><p>“Surreal,” he answered honestly, running a hand through his hair. “Honestly, I thought I’d have to live my life out here while Shadow got to go out and conquer the world," Shaun said with a sigh, looking around the office he’d shared with his Grandpa Nick for the last eleven years. “Didn’t think I’d ever get more than this,” he said quietly.</p><p>“You sound like your mom,” Sam said lightly, smiling at him as she hopped off the desk and moving to rest against the wall. “For some reason, the two of you never quite get that you’re just as amazing as the rest of us. Especially,” his aunt said in a teasing lilt as she stared at him, “since this was all your idea in the first place.” </p><p>Shaun squirmed in his seat uncomfortably. “Well-“ </p><p>His aunt held up a hand, smiling as she closed her eyes. "You should probably call Noct back,” she said teasingly, her eyes bright with amusement. “I’m sure he’s been on edge for weeks about this.” </p><p>Shaun just scoffed, shaking his head. “Aunt Sam, if you already know-“ </p><p>“Everyone deserves the courtesy of being able to voice their thoughts,” she said casually, pretending to be engrossed with her nails. “And unless my family tries lying to me like cheap bathroom rugs, it’s not my place to spill them.” When he laughed, she walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Seriously, you all right with this? I know it’s a big change, but remember, you don’t have to do this- she can do it on her own, too.” </p><p>“I can do this,” he said firmly. “I mean, Iggy and Gladio ain’t bad company- and besides, keeping an eye on the man looking to whisk my little sis off her feet ain’t the worst thing, right?”</p><p>“You do know that Ignis is a good man, right?” Sam said with a grin. "In fact, he's a little too good, if you ask me- instead of taking a chance, he’s just sitting on his own happiness right now.” </p><p>“If he knows what’s good for him, he’ll keep sitting on more than that,” Shaun grumbled, moving things to the filing cabinet in the back of the room. “I don’t care how old she is, that’s still my little sis we’re talking about, and no matter <em>how</em> uptight Iggy is, he’s still a twenty-year-old guy.” He shut the drawer with a little more force than necessary, making the contents rattle around inside. “And I was a twenty-year-old guy- I know the crap that goes on in a brain like that.”</p><p>“Thankfully, Ignis is nothing like you,” his aunt teased. “And if it makes you feel better, I can assure you that he doesn’t have a mean decision in his body- everything he does is with noble intent.” She walked over and squeezed his shoulders, letting the scent of apples and cherries waft over him as her dark hair tickled his cheeks. “Your sister will be fine, Shaun."</p><p>“I hope so,” Shaun grumbled, taking a look around his office for what felt like the last time. Working with Grandpa Nick was the only job he’d ever known, and though he’d never admit it to anyone, the thought of being away from everyone he knew and loved except his sister thrilled and terrified him at the same time. “On the bright side,” he said with an exaggerated sense of cheer, "it looks like Shadow and I get to live in the lap of luxury for a while, right?”</p><p>He could tell his aunt didn’t believe his deflection, but to her credit, she didn’t comment on it. “There’s only one prince in that crew and it damn sure ain’t you,” Sam retorted, punching him lightly in the shoulder. “I expect you to work, Shaun- you’re there to learn and train, not just goof off, understand?” </p><p>Shaun rolled his eyes. “Do I really need to take lessons with the beefcake?” He asked wearily as they locked up the office and headed back to his apartment. “You already know Mom and Dad taught us both how to shoot the wings off a bloatfly at ten paces- won’t that be enough?”</p><p>“You do,” she said firmly. “I promised your mom I’d keep your sister safe- this is part of it,” she said as her eyes roamed over the sparsely furnished apartment- he’d sold most of his stuff in anticipation of this move long ago. “You two were counting on your sister going for this plan of yours, I see.” </p><p>“I played the odds,” he said dismissively. “Besides, it was the most logical decision.” He shook his head as he went to the fridge to get a beer, staring at the now-empty walls. <em>if this hadn’t worked, I’d be up for one helluva redecoration project,</em> he thought with a smile. <em>Good thing Shadow’s too smart to pass up a kickass deal.</em></p><p>“Logic and your sister are not two words I would ever think to string together,” his aunt said lightly, running her fingers over the dust-covered shelves. “But all things considered, I’m glad it worked out.” </p><p>“You think he’s gonna do it?” Shaun asked suddenly, the question burning in his brain as he stared at his beer. “I mean, I know they’ve been dating for a while, but… they’re just kids, Aunt Sam- shouldn’t they wait a little while?”</p><p>“Not everyone is determined to be a playboy, Shaun,” his aunt said teasingly. “Some people know what they want right away- your sister is one of those people. All we’re waiting on is for her idiot bastard of a boyfriend to see what’s been in front of his face the entire time.” Shaun scowled at Sam but she just laughed, leaning over and raking her fingers through his hair. “Now,” she said brightly, hopping to her feet and clapping her hands, “you need to go get changed- you’re always the last one to get ready whenever we have an event, Shaun!” </p><p>Shaking his head, he sighed and made his way to the bedroom, placing the empty bottle on the table. “No, you guys just insist on being crazy early to everything,” he retorted. “Unlike the rest of you, I’m just punctual.” </p><p>“As long as you’re ready within the next thirty minutes,” Sam replied, grabbing the bottle and refilling the contents with a wave of her hand before placing it back in the fridge, “you’re free to call it whatever you like.” </p><p class="p1">
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<hr/><p>The advisor puttered around Noct’s apartment, pacing back and forth as he waited what for what felt like an eternity for the prince to get ready. “Will you <em>please</em> hurry!” Ignis hissed in frustration. “Jenny will be along to fetch us at any minute!”</p><p>“Calm down, Specs,” Gladio said from the couch, not even looking up from his phone. “It’s just a party- what’s the big deal?”</p><p>Prompto looked at Gladio as if he’d lost his mind. “Um, it’s a party… at Sweet’s house,” he said incredulously. “It’s in another freaking <em>world</em>, Gladio- how cool is that?” The blond looked around for a moment, practically bouncing up and down with excitement- to Ignis, it seemed as if his friend’s exuberance were equally matched to his levels of anxiety. “After all this time, she’s never asked us to come over there- I’d say it’s a pretty big deal… right, Iggy?”</p><p>Ignis just sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, unwilling to offer up any new information. He didn’t see the need to share the fact that he’d been back to Diamond City a few times now, even meeting the robot she referred to as her grandfather on one such occasion. Despite his best efforts, she had yet to introduce him to her parents, citing that she loved him too much to let her family shoot him on sight. The advisor got the sense that meeting Nick was a test- not only was the man protective of the young girl, but he was also intelligent and observant. Ignis left the conversation with the metal detective feeling as if he’d just been tested, and could only hope his answers were acceptable. Now, he was about to be on a stage unlike anything he’d ever seen before, but he at least had all his friends for company.</p><p>Finally, Gladio looked up from his phone, noticing that Ignis looked ready to faint. Frowning, he up from his seat and heading to the fridge, pulling out a bottle of water. “Drink,” he said firmly, thrusting the drink into Ignis’s hands. “If you pass out, Sweets is gonna kill you, Specs.” </p><p>“Iggy, it’s fine,” Noct said as he emerged from his room, looking at his phone and grinning before shoving it into his pocket. “Like Prompt said, it’s just a party.” The prince looked over at the blond and grinned, causing Prompto to let out an excited yelp. When Ignis and Gladio gave the two of them confused looks, Noct just shrugged. “It’s nothing,” he said casually, walking over to Prompto and giving the boy a high-five as he sat down, ignoring the unspoken ask for an explanation. “So, we ready to do this?” </p><p>Nervous about whatever it was that had the two of them so excited, Ignis just nodded. “Soon as Jenny arrives, we’ll be off.” He pulled out his phone, checking the time anxiously- the advisor had no desire to be late such a momentous occasion. “I daresay I’m starting to get worried,” he mumbled, glancing at the door. “It’s not like her to leave something like this to the last minute- what if something-“ </p><p>Ignis was interrupted by a knock at the door- he crossed the room in an instant and flung it open, beaming at the young woman in front of him, despite his churning nerves. “Hello, darling,” he said, pulling her close and placing a soft kiss on her lips and doing his best to ignore the hoots and snickers coming from behind him. "We were wondering when you’d arrive.”</p><p>“Some of us more than others,” Gladio deadpanned, making Noct snicker while Ignis shot a look over Jenny’s head that could cut glass. True to form, Gladio ignored the slight, getting up from his seat to walk over and pull Jenny from Ignis’s arms, wrapping her in a crushing hug. “Glad you finally showed up- I thought we were going to have to put Specs out of his misery for a second.” </p><p>“Nah,” she replied, waving her bracelet in his face. “Just had to rest up a little- I helped my aunt get the family over here for the ceremony, and it took a lot out of me.” She ran a hand over her surprisingly straight hair, giving them a sheepish grin. “I may admit to taking an impromptu nap, but that’s about all.” </p><p>“Whatever,” Noct said, clapping her on the shoulder. “Enough standing around- I was promised inter-dimensional travel.” He gave her a grin as she punched him in the arm, causing Ignis to let out an involuntary laugh. “We’re ready when you are, Sweets.”  </p><p>Jenny laughed, opening the door to the apartment with a bow. “After you, your highness- your adoring public awaits.” Noct gave a jaunty salute as he stepped out into the brightly-colored room Ignis had seen time and time again on their calls, waving to her brother relaxing on the bed in front of them. “Prompt, Gladio… you coming or what?”</p><p>“Wouldn’t miss it,” Gladio replied, pulling the stunned Prompto by the arm and guiding him through the door as Jenny wrapped an arm around the advisor’s waist. The warrior let out a low whistle as he stepped through the door, taking in the painted scenes Ignis knew every line of- he watched them behind her every night, always wanting to be the last thing she saw before she fell asleep. “This is crazy, Sweets,” Gladio said, his head swiveling to take it all in. “You painted all this?”</p><p>“Every bit of it,” she said proudly as they stepped through the door, closing it tightly behind them. “But this is my favorite, I think.” </p><p>“I can see why,” Noct said quietly. He, Prompt, and Gladio were all staring at the wall over her bed, where she’d painted a shower of photographs drifting into a field of sylleblossoms. They were all pictures from her time in Insomnia- her, Prompt and Noct under the tree in gym class, the two of them standing next to her birthday cake, Noct and Jenny holding up their catch after a day of fishing, her and Gladio sparring in the field, her and Noct on their first day of work, and a picture of the four boys sitting around the apartment on their phones, oblivious to the young redhead sketching their likenesses from across the room. “I can’t believe you did all this,” he said, the usual jest in his voice replaced with awe. “It’s amazing, Sweets.”</p><p>“I’d hope so,” a voice drawled from the doorway, making Ignis jump. “I can’t tell you how many times I saw this one coming downstairs to dinner covered in paint from head to toe.” The scarred man smiled, tipping his hat to the boys but keeping his distance. “I hope Shadow warned you about the extreme sunburn I got goin’ on, otherwise I’m pretty sure this is gonna be pretty fucking awkward for all of you today.” </p><p>“She did,” Noct replied with a smile. “Noctis Caelum,” he said, extending his hand to the man. “Thanks for finally letting Sweets out of the house- these last few years would’ve been a lot different without her.” </p><p>“I can only imagine,” the man replied, chuckling softly as he shook the prince’s hand.“So,” he said casually, looking over each of the boys in turn, “this your crew, kid?” </p><p>“Yep- Dad, you met Noct, so I'd like you to meet Prompto, Gladio, and Ignis,” Jenny said proudly, pointing to each of them in turn. “Guys, this is my dad, John Hancock, the mayor of this town.” Noct started to open his mouth, but Jenny hit him in the shoulder, hard. “Don’t you fucking start, Noct!” </p><p>“Language,” her dad said, laughing. “That’s no way to treat your guests, Shadow.” He gave Noct an apologetic grin as he put his hands in his pockets. “Sorry ‘bout that,” he said affably. “We tried to raise her better, but she is her mother’s kid, after all- there’s only so much you can do with that.” </p><p>“I heard that!” A woman popped her head into the room, her curly hair going every which way as she punched the man in the shoulder before placing a kiss on his cheek. “Keep that shit up and I might actually get offended,” she chided, flipping the brim of his hat down over his eyes. “Anyway, while my husband is up here yakking your ear off, everyone is waiting for you guys downstairs- I know I’m awesome, but I’m also not the guest of honor at this party.” She put a hand on her hip, cocking her thumb toward the hall. “C’mon Shadow- let’s get outta this hot ass room and let everyone fawn all over these wonderful friends of yours.” </p><p>Instantly, Ignis could see where Jenny got her charm from- the woman was disarming, and her green eyes were bright and warm as she took in the boys, welcoming them to her home without saying a word. “Grace Hancock, Jenny’s mom,” she offered, walking over and wrapping Noct in a hug and whispering something in his ear. The prince just nodded and smiled, returning the embrace and moving to the side, allowing her to embrace the others in turn. “Thanks for coming- we were starting to think that Shadow would never bring you guys over.” </p><p>“Shame on you, Sweets,” Noct said in that voice that immediately let Ignis know that he was going to tweak his friend. “You had us thinking your parents hated us or something.” He smiled innocently at Grace, who was now glaring at Jenny- the girl practically had smoke coming out of her ears, so Ignis instinctively wrapped a hand around her waist, holding her back from throttling the prince. “Mrs. Hancock,” Noct said pleasantly, “I’m so sorry about that- had we known you and Mr. Hancock actually wanted to meet us, we’d have pressed her harder about coming.” </p><p>“Oh, he’s good,” Shaun muttered under his breath as he stood next to Ignis and Jenny, working hard to hide the grin spreading across his face. “Smart play on his part- Mom and Dad know he’s full of shit, but they’re loving the hell out of it.” He clapped a hand on Ignis’s shoulder, then gestured to Gladio. “C’mon guys, Mom’s right,” he said in his normal voice. “It’s way too hot for all of us to be up here, and there’s a crapton of food downstairs.” The curly-haired man grinned at his mom, causing his dad to try and hide his laughter. “And Mom didn’t cook it, so it’s all safe to eat- my uncle and aunt took one for the team today so no one would die of food poisoning.” </p><p>“Well, I’m starving,” Gladio said, making his way to the door and bowing to Grace. “After you, Mrs. Hancock,” the warrior said politely, earning him a scowl from Jenny. “I must say, I’m looking forward to meeting your family and friends.” </p><p>“Stop flirting with my mom, Gladdy,” Jenny hissed, hitting Gladio in the arm as she shoved him out the door. “It’s fucking creepy.” </p><p>Prompto just shrugged, following Jenny out the room, trying to surreptitiously snap pictures of the old-fashioned house. “This house is amazing,” he said, turning to look at Shaun, who was walking behind him. “You grew up here?” </p><p>“Yep,” Shaun said, making his way out the room. “C’mon, I’ll show you around- there’s a lot to see and a bunch of cool pictures for you to take."</p><p>Ignis just laughed, following behind the two men- all things considered, the meeting hadn’t gone nearly as terrible as he’d thought it would. <em>That went well</em>, he thought as he made his way to the door. <em>At least her parents seem pleasant. </em></p><p>But suddenly, Ignis felt his blood run cold as a hand rested itself on his shoulder. Swallowing and turning around, his heart sank as he looked into the eyes of her dad, resting casually against the door. “Hey,” John said mildly, “you got a minute to chat?” Too dumbfounded to speak, Ignis just nodded as John gestured to the desk chair, closing the door behind him. “Have a seat, son.” </p><p><em>This is it</em>, Ignis moaned to himself. <em>This is how I die- he’s going to murder me and no one will be the wiser.</em></p><p>“So,” John said, sitting on the bed and leaning toward Ignis, his hands folded in his lap, “you’re in love with my daughter.” </p><p>Instantly, Ignis knew that the man wasn’t asking him a question and he nodded, his throat too dry to form words. “I… I do,” he croaked after a moment, forcing himself to speak. “I’ve loved her since I met her,” he said honestly, hoping the man could tell that Ignis only wanted the best for Jenny. “She’s wonderful, sir.” </p><p>“I know,” John replied. “She’s my little girl.” The man shifted forward even more, his dark gaze firm as he stared intently at the advisor. “You’re the one she was talking about all those years ago, ain’t ya?” </p><p>Ignis blinked, not quite sure he’d heard the man correctly. “Pardon?” </p><p>“You heard me,” John said mildly, his tone giving nothing away. “You and Noct are the boys she met as a kid, right?"</p><p>Ignis just nodded, not sure of what else he could say or do about the matter. “We are, yes.” </p><p>“And after all this time, you waited… for her?” Her dad leaned back, pulling a tin out of his pocket and popping what looked like a mint into his mouth, never breaking eye contact with Ignis. “Why is that?” </p><p>“Because Jenny is the one I want,” the advisor said quietly, looking down at his shoes and wishing he could fold into the floor and disappear. “If you’re asking if I deserve her, then the answer is probably not,” he said with a self-deprecating laugh as he shook his head. “I work too hard, I overthink every single thing, and I’m constantly fretting over the smallest of details. But,” Ignis said firmly, raising his head to look at the man in front of him, not wanting there to be any doubts about what he was about to say, “if you’re wondering if I truly love her, then the answer is a resounding yes- I’ve done so since I was a child without knowing why, and when I was lucky enough to find her again I vowed to never let her leave again without telling her how much she meant to me. Your daughter is not just my choice, she’s the only choice,” he said resolutely. “For me, there has never been another option… and if I have my way, there never will be.” </p><p>“Strong words,” John said, not moving from his place on the bed and reaching into his pocket, pulling out a bundle of yellowed paper and tossing it at the advisor's feet. “I hope you mean them.” </p><p>Carefully, Ignis picked up the bundle, hyper-aware of the man watching him as he began leafing through the papers. Glancing down, his eyes went wide as he stared at the sheets in front of him, fighting to keep his hands from trembling. “What’s this?” Ignis asked, trying to keep his voice steady. “I thought… I thought she didn’t remember.” </p><p>“She doesn’t- we took these away from her years ago,” John said sadly. “And I gotta admit, I hoped she’d never find you, kid. But they all said that if she did manage to do it, you’d be worth it.” The older man scoffed, running his hand over his scarred head. "She’s been in love with you since she was a kid,” John said quietly, gesturing to the multiple drawings of the little redheaded girl smiling up at the boy with the dirty blond hair and glasses. “She might not have the actual memories, but she never forgot you… that’s for damn sure.” </p><p>“I want to marry your daughter,” Ignis blurted out, shocking himself at the statement escaping his lips. For a moment, the room went still- the advisor swore that the very flow of time had stopped around him, making it impossible for him to even breathe. “Please,” Ignis said, rising to his feet and hoping he wouldn’t pass out, “I’d like your permission, Mr. Hancock.” </p><p>“You don’t need my permission,” John said with a wan smile as he plucked the papers from Ignis’s hand, carefully folding them up again and placing them back into his pocket. “From the moment I saw those specs on your face, I knew it was you.” Shaking his head, he rested his hand on the doorframe, inclining his head toward the stairs. “C’mon- my wife’s gonna think I beat you if we don’t get down there soon.” </p><p>Ignis nodded, carefully walking past the man, feeling numb and elated all at the same time. “Thank you for this,” he said honestly. “I’ve never wanted anything more in my life, sir.” </p><p>“I’m glad,” John replied softly, his voice shaking slightly as he led the advisor down the dimly lit stairs. “Cause she’s one of the best things I’ve ever done, kid.”</p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s2">  </span> </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>After mingling with my family for a moment, I noticed Gladio, Noct, and Prompt were standing with my brother, laughing their fool heads off as Ignis got interrogated by my uncles. Letting out a deep sigh, I walked over to the boys and glared at my brother. “Shaun,” I said warningly, “what did you guys do?” </p><p>Instantly, Shaun plastered an innocent look on his face, then pointed to himself. “Who, me?” When I scowled, his face lit up with laughter. “I didn’t do anything,” he said pointedly. “Your friends over here suggested that your lil’ boy toy should meet some of your family members.” I let out a huff, and my brother gave an unassuming shrug of his shoulders. “All I did was suggest who he should start with.” </p><p>“So you just happened to send him over to talk with the two men that could break him in two, huh?” When everyone looked away and began pretending the spots on the ceiling were fascinating, I rolled my eyes. “And this is what I signed up to live with for a year,” I muttered, glancing over to my boyfriend, who was looking more and more uncomfortable by the minute. “I swear to fucking christ, I hate you all.” At that, Prompto let out a squeak and I laughed, shaking my head. “Well, except for you, Prompt- everyone else can go to hell.”</p><p>“If I thought you even remotely meant that, I might be offended,” Noct replied, noshing on another of the pastries Aunt Lana had brought over. “Besides, your family is all right, Sweets- I don’t know why you didn’t bring us over sooner.” </p><p>“Um, could it possibly be the fact that you're an obnoxious little shit, Noct?” I asked, taking one of the mini eclairs for myself. “Did you ever think of that?” </p><p>“The thought crossed my mind briefly, but then I remembered how awesome I really was, so I decided to let it drift away on the evening breeze,” Noct replied casually, earning a snicker from Prompto and a groan from me.  “And I also know that you're one of the few people cool enough to deal with it, so I purposely ignore these little fits of yours.” </p><p>“How kind of you,” I said dryly, snickering as Ignis made his way over to us, adjusting the collar on his shirt. “Hey,” I said, reaching up to place a kiss on his cheek. “Glad to see you survived, Iggy.”</p><p>“I’m afraid it was a close call,” he replied, resting his chin on the top of my head. “Your uncles seem rather… <em>protective</em>, I must say.” He brushed my hair away from my face, lowering his voice to whisper in my ear. “At this point, I’m almost afraid to stand this close to you- they made it quite clear that they were the ones who gave you sword fighting lessons.”</p><p>“Well, we can’t have that, can we?” I said with a smile before turning back to the others. “Guys, do you mind if I borrow Iggy for a minute- I just got word that my dad is about to give a speech of some sort soon, and I’d like to have a quick word with my boyfriend before that madness happens.”</p><p>Immediately guessing what I might want to talk to Iggy about, Noct discreetly leaned over to whisper in my ear. “Is this about that thing we talked about?” When I gave a slight nod, Noct nodded, straightening up and giving me a gentle shove. “Do whatever you want,” the prince said in a bored tone as he shooed us away. “I’m sure Shaun has a ton more awesome stories he can share about you as a kid… right?” </p><p>“Oh god yes,” Shaun said quickly, turning toward the library. “In fact, if you’ll follow me, I do believe I have some baby pictures I’d be happy to show you.”</p><p>Ignis pretended to follow but I grabbed him by his elbow, pulling him in the opposite direction. “I’m afraid that’s gonna have to wait for the seventh of never,” I said lightly. "I’ve got something else I want to show you.” </p><p>“But I wanted to see the baby photos,” Ignis teased as I led him up the stairs. “I think you’re being mean, darling.” </p><p>“I got something better for you,” I replied as I led him onto the roof of the old statehouse. “Take a look at that, Iggy.” </p><p>“It’s amazing,” Ignis remarked as he looked around, seeing the whole town sprawling beneath us, slowly coming to life beneath the evening sky. “You finally brought me to Goodneighbor,” he said as he kissed me lightly, making me shiver despite the warm and humid air. “I must admit, it’s good to see where you chat with me in the evenings.”</p><p>I led him to the swing, patting the seat next to me.  “I figured you guys finally proved yourselves worthy of being introduced to the family,” I replied. “As you can see, they’re a bit much- clearly, this lot isn’t for casual consumption.”</p><p>“So,” Ignis said softly, leaning his head against mine, “I would assume what we have isn’t casual, then.” </p><p>“Not by a long shot,” I admitted. Taking a deep breath and hoping to god my aunt was right about this, I looked up at the sky, too scared to see his face in case this wasn’t what he wanted to hear. “Shaun and I are moving to Insomnia,” I whispered, too scared to look at him. “I don’t want to be a world away from you, Iggy… I want… I want the chance to be more,” I said, gazing out over the only home I’d ever known and finally gathering enough nerve to look at the man I knew I loved with all my heart. “So I’m doing something about it.”</p><p>For a moment, Ignis just looked at me, not saying a word. Then, before I could go flame-red with embarrassment, he touched his head to mine. “I suppose it’s a bit too late to ask you to rescind your lease, isn’t it?” Mortified, I pulled away, causing Ignis to jerk back. “Wait, that’s not how I meant it!” He pulled me closer to him, placing soft kisses on my face in an effort to calm me down. “I only meant that I’m a fool for not asking you to move in with me!” </p><p>Exhaling with relief, I smiled, trying to force my heart to calm down. “A little,” I admitted. “Besides, your place is a box, Iggy- we’d murder each other in a space that small.”</p><p>“I suppose you’re right,” he said, cupping my face in his hands. “On the bright side, I guess that just means that I have some time to sweep you madly off your feet and into my arms, then.”</p><p>Laughing, I pressed my lips to his, running my fingers through his shaggy blond hair. “To be honest, you did that a long time ago,” I admitted. “Hell, if I could, I’d marry you right now, Ignis Scientia.” </p><p>“Then why don’t you?” Ignis asked, causing my hands to pause what they were doing as I dragged my eyes to his, unable to believe what I’d just heard. To my surprise, there was no teasing or joking in his expression- the only thing I could see were deep green eyes staring back at me, his hands reaching for mine and holding them in front of me. “What would you need from me?”</p><p>“For starters, I think I might need you to ask me,” I replied, feeling like the world was dropping out beneath me. “I’m not about to let you make a decision this big without thinking about it first, Iggy- you can barely decide what to make for dinner without a request signed in triplicate!” </p><p>“I deserve that,” he replied, grinning sheepishly as he kissed my hands. “But now that I know you want to,” he said lightly, moving his head to kiss me beneath the setting sun, “I’m afraid I have a completely different problem, darling.” </p><p>“And what’s that?” I asked, closing my eyes and snuggling against him, relishing the quiet for a few moments before we had to return to deal with the chaos going on below. “From where I’m sitting, I’m not seeing any problems at all.”</p><p>“Just one,” he admitted. “Now I have to figure out how to give you the perfect proposal.” I looked up at him, aghast, but he just smiled and kissed me on the forehead. “Don’t worry,” he said lightly. “I’ve got more than enough time to get it right.” </p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s2">  </span> </em>
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<hr/><p>Sam stared out the palace window and gazed out at the Citadel, giving the king a chance to collect his thoughts. After a moment, Regis limped to her side, tugging thoughtfully at his snow-white beard. Despite the fact that the magic he wielded was taking a toll on his body, the king was still a formidable man, even after all these years- she knew that any decision that started this journey had to come with his blessing. “Are you sure about this?”</p><p>“Just as sure as I was when we met eleven years ago,” Sam replied, folding her hands behind her back. “Or have you forgotten that day already?” </p><p>“I don’t think I could forget it,” Regis said gravely, resting against his cane and refusing to look at her. “You helped me get my son back, Lady Rutherford- for that, I’m eternally grateful. However, what you’re asking is… a lot,” the king said wearily. “This is my son we’re talking about- I do not know if I can oblige your request. While I have already accepted what the old kings have laid at my feet, what you ask me to do on top of it... it’s too much, I’m afraid.” </p><p>“You and I both know you can,” Sam replied, the lightness of her tone in direct contrast with the sad expression on her face. “Unfortunately, us not wanting the future to come to pass isn’t enough of a reason to stop it. Believe me,” she said sadly, running her finger over the ring on her hand, “I know that better than most.” </p><p>“Have you consulted with the Oracle?” Regis asked quietly, his green eyes full of resignation. “What has she said about this?”</p><p>“Lunafreya knows her part and is willing to do her duty, no matter the cost,” Sam replied, not willing to tell the king any more than she had to. “But if you can offer me this one favor, then I think we can open a different path, Regis.”</p><p>The king frowned, the smoothing of his long, dark robes the only indicator of his growing agitation. “I’m not sure I see how that’s possible.”  </p><p>Undaunted, Sam gave Regis a small smile. “Well, sometimes, destiny leaves a small fork in the road, a narrow little gap just wide enough for the right person to go through. And if we take that new path, we just might be able to change the destination. That’s my job,“ she said, placing a hand on the king, letting the images slowly wash over him. “I see the streams of time,” Sam said softly, leaning against the windowsill. “And in those streams, my mother taught me how to find the cracks, the small in-between places that let a new choice in.”</p><p>Still not deciding one way or the other, the king let out a deep sigh. “And you see one of those now, do you?” </p><p>“I do,” she said firmly. “There’s one here, and I see a chance to correct a wrong, Regis. Let me take it, please. Your son deserves better, Regis. Lunafreya deserves more. Hell, <em>Eos</em> deserves more…so if it’s within my power to do it, then I want to give it to them."</p><p>“What is the cost?” Regis asked, finally turning to look at her again. “Knowledge like this never comes without a price, Lady Rutherford- I’m not so naive as to believe it comes for free.” </p><p>“In this case, the knowledge itself is the price,” Sam replied, her voice heavy with regret as the clear stone in her ring changed to a beautiful lilac color and the worn inscription on the band changed into a swirl of sylleblossoms. “Look, I get it- it’s natural to try and protect the ones we love,” Sam replied, hanging her head for a moment before offering the king a sad smile. “No matter what reality you live in. Don’t tell me that hearing this rests easy on you- it didn’t sit well with my sister, and it damn sure doesn’t sit well with me, but we all have to live with it… if we want to change it. ”</p><p>“Some longer than others, it appears,” Regis said morosely, heading slowly back to his throne. “Nonetheless… I will think on it,” the king replied, twisting the ring on his finger. “It appears you’ve given me a great deal to think about, Lady Rutherford."</p><p>“Not really,” she replied sadly. “Unfortunately, most of your path is fixed, and I’m super sorry about that. But, if you do this for me, then I can offer you a moment… when it counts. That’s more than others get, and it’s more than most deserve,” Sam said pointedly, then gave the king a polite shrug and a smile. “But then again, what do I know, right?” </p><p>“So it seems even the Astrals have a sense of humor,” the king said with a smile. “The very fact we’re having this conversation right now is enough to cement that fact for me.” Regis then shook his head as he looked out at his retinue, frozen in place from the time Sam had entered the room. “Your casual nature does nothing to hide your power, Lady Rutherford.”</p><p>“It usually does,” Sam replied, placing her small hand on the king’s palm. “Did you ever consider that you’re just smarter than most, Regis?” </p><p> “Only when it doesn’t count,” he replied as the flow of time restarted around him, the rising noise washing over the room like the tide breaking against the shore. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Oh wow, I didn’t want to love them... but I did. I can’t wait to continue their adventures after high school in “The Perfect Recipe”, which is pt. 2 of this series (which is complete and ready to post 2x a week!). Part two is going to be a quick setup story, so let’s buckle in- we’ll be checking in with some of the members of Team Mage, seeing how Shaun and Jenny handle living in Insomnia, and getting into the setup for part 3, which is gonna be the main game. Looking forward to seeing you there, so subscribe for updates!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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